Cutting Through the Bamboo
by KawaiiEmiko50
Summary: Kagome's grandfather left her with a will and an impossible task. If she completes it, she receives her inheritance. Welcome InuYasha, the museum curator and less than friendly hanyou. With his help, Kagome will try to collect the items asked of her. Too bad their attraction to one another proves to be more difficult than either one can handle... AU. Warning: Lemons. HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is loosely based on the tale of the bamboo cutter. Inu/Kag. The elements are from the tale, and from the second InuYasha movie. There will be vulgar language, lemons thrown about and everything else that will make the M rating probably cringe as I post this. With that said, I own nothing involving any of this besides the ideas and the plot.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you...

* * *

Cutting Through the Bamboo

She sighed, ripping the piece of duct tape off the roll and slapping it on the cardboard box sitting on her twin mattress. Grabbing the box and placing it with the ten or so others, she mindlessly dusted her hands off, looking around the room with a sense of satisfaction and depression at the same time.

"The boxes are ready!" she yelled to no one in particular, picking up one of them as she headed out of her dorm room and down the long hall towards the elevator. Surely her family had heard her from the dorm's living room, and scrambled in after her to grab more of her belongings. She shifted the box onto her right hip, using her left hand to brush back her long ebony locks out of her face.

She had been waiting for this moment for quite a long time. A junior in college, she felt like she was going to do something big with her life. However, that school just wasn't right for her. She wasn't getting what she needed; a challenge. She had wanted to transfer since she was a freshmen here at Tokyo University. Sure, she'd made some great friends and had an amazing time, but if she was going to be a history professor, this was not the place to receive that education.

So, finally, after realizing how unhappy her daughter had been with her choice in schools, Rei Higurashi took out a second mortgage on the shrine(even though it had been paid off for quite a long time), and transferred her daughter to St. Midoriko University. The look on Kagome's face when her mother told her could make all her worries about more money problems go away in an instant.

So there they were, moving Kagome's things out of her dorm room at Tokyo U, in the beginning of the new semester. The brisk cold outside proved it's wrath that day, as it had been a snowy January day. Kagome's car had been almost all packed by the time the family took their second trip down to the car. Students scuffled around, trying to settle into the new semester, and Kagome looked around, silently saying goodbye to the environment she had known for the past two and a half years.

"Mama, I can't even begin to explain how grateful-"

"Hush, dear. To see you smile like you have been since you found out about transferring makes everything worth while. Just promise me to keep up your grades, yes?" her mother embraced her affectionately, her breath coming out in puffs of visible air. Kagome hugged back, trying to show her appreciation by suffocating her mother in love right at that moment.

The pair let go, and Kagome turned to her little brother and grandfather. She ruffled Souta's hair and squeezed him slightly. She didn't need him thinking she wouldn't miss him, now that her new school would put her a grand distance of seven hours away from home. He squeezed back, face red either from the cold temperature outside or the embarrassment of being hugged by his big sister in front of all these older girls. Glancing at her grandpa, she waited for him to stop rambling about another legend about the new school she was attending.

Getting impatient, she huffed and walked over to the short wrinkled man, hugging him affectionately as well. She had always loved her grandfather, but sometimes he drove her insane with all his silly stories. Thank goodness she'd be seven hours away from all his ranting and raving. She walked over to the driver side of her humble old suzuki, and looked over the top of the car to her three dear family members.

She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Sure, she was happy to be transferring to the school of her dreams, but she'd had to leave her family far, far behind, with more and more bills to pay. The guilt would definitely eat her alive if she didn't keep her grades up at this new school. Waving slightly, she climbed down into the seat, slamming the door behind her. She started the engine, clicked on her seatbelt, and flicked on the windshield wipers to clean the snow that had accumulated on her car since she'd last cleaned it.

'_God I hate the winter. Who needs snow anyway?' _she thought to herself as she began driving away, leaving her sad, yet happy family in her wake. Looking in the rear view mirror, she watched their forms stare after her car before turning and heading towards their own.

Of course she'd felt bad about leaving them. Tokyo U was only twenty minutes from her house, so she was able to see her family all the time. _'Maybe too much...'_ she thought, cranking on the heater in her car to warm the digits that had begun freezing to the steering wheel.

You would think that at the age of twenty one, it would be easier to move so far away from her family. She had always been family oriented, especially with her estranged family not alike any other she'd ever come across. Her father had died when she was little, only leaving her a necklace with a jewel as the pendant. She'd taken it everywhere with her, the only real thing of her dad she owned.

She glanced down at her speedometer, her gas tank, and then up at the GPS that was in the left lower side of her front windshield. Following it would be difficult for Kagome, even if the woman was telling her exactly where to go. She was never very good with directions...

* * *

She pulled her silver car, or practically white car by the looks of it, from all the snow piling on, into the large parking lot. It had taken her nine hours to get there, with all the slush and snow on the ground. She had never really been a very coordinated person either, so driving under the speed limit was probably best for her. She turned the key in her ignition so her car shut off, pulled the key out and shoved it in her pocket.

"Well now what?" she more asked herself than anyone else, looking around through the snow covered windows. The school was absolutely breathtaking. The large, glass buildings seemed to look warm enough, considering there were students walking around in tank tops. Those looked more like the buildings where classes were held. She couldn't see much else, the campus was so huge. It would take her mind and her feet a long time to get used to the new layout.

She slipped her gloves on and opened the car door, walking to the back to pick up and balance three boxes on top of one another. She slammed the door closed with her back side and managed to beep her alarm button. Even if this was a private school, she wasn't trusting anyone with her baby. She started slowly trudging towards where she thought the dorm buildings were, and found nothing.

Grumbling, Kagome looked around for some sign of a student to help her with directions. How was it possible that at the exact second Kagome needed someone, there was not a solitary student outside? The weather was bad, but not THAT bad. She sighed and looked around for a map, peering around the three stacked boxes in her weakening arms. She saw a wooden board about twenty feet away with what looked like long sqiggly lines, so she figured that would be her best chance.

These boxes were quite inconvenient, as she couldn't quite see where she was going. Bumping into what she thought was the wooden board, she backed up a few spaces and turned to her right to be able to look at the map. However, she didn't expect to see a man sitting on the ground, rubbing his nose. Nor did she expect the man to quietly curse at her.

"Excuse me?" she repeated hotly, clenching her hands harder around the box on the bottom of the stack.

"Sorry, sorry. I hate the snow, and if you had been carrying less boxes, you would have seen me, therefore...me not sitting my ass in the wet snow." he said, glancing up at her.

"Nice deductive reasoning." she stated with dry sarcasm, glowering down at him. He promptly stood up, towering over her, making her glower lessen a bit as she took in his full height. He was maybe about 5'11, 6'0? Who knew. He was rather handsome though, she'd admit that. Hopefully there were more like him around here.

She took the initiative, seeing as how he didn't seem to want to talk much further.

"I'm sorry. I hate the snow too and the least amount of trips I can make the better. I was trying to head for the map." she nudged her head towards the board, forcing his eyes to follow.

"Oh, my dear. Are you new? Are you lost? Can I help at all?" he said, a gleeful smile spreading across his handsome features. Kagome looked suspicious. He was just cursing at her and now he's being a gentlemen? On second thought, maybe she hoped there weren't many more like him here at this school.

Without asking, he took two of the boxes off of Kagome's stack, placing them in his own arms to carry.

"Oh no, you really don't-"

"Which dorm did they throw you in? I'll help you out." he said politely, the smile still across his face. Well he was still rather handsome...

"The paper told me it was Shikon Hall? But I can't see any dorm buildings around here.." she trailed off, waiting for him to take the lead and show her to her new home. He did, nodding for her to follow him. She stared lightly as his backside, noticing how wet it now was from the snow soaking in. She giggled quietly to herself, and then realized he hadn't heard. She'd look like a mad man, laughing to herself.

"So, what's your name beautiful?" he asked her as she matched his pace, stepping into stride with his own. She blushed prettily, surprised at the outright compliment. Okay, now she wasn't so sure if she wanted more guys like him here or not.

"Kagome Higurashi." What's yours, uh...cute...boy?" she ended it with a question, the blush spreading further. She never really was good at complimenting good looking men. Everything sounded so cheesy when it came out of her mouth, no matter what the word was.

He laughed slightly, casting his head back and eyes aimed towards the sky. She took this quick moment to revel in his real beauty. His eyes, a deep purple, seemed to look intent at everything, yet stare through it at the same time. His short black hair was tied into a rat's tail at the nape of his neck, his hood bunched up under that, having slipped off his head during their walk. She couldn't tell much else, the bulk in his clothing covering his physique from her eyes.

"Miroku. Cute girl. My name is Miroku." he said, smirking slightly as the blush re-appeared on her pretty face.

"Can I ask you something, Miss Kagome?" he turned his head towards her, looking as serious as he did when she'd knocked him over accidentally. She shrugged and nodded, keeping her eyes trained on her new target, the buildings coming up in the view. So THAT'S where they were!

"Will you do the honor of bearing my children?" he asked simply, as if he had just asked for a cup of sugar. She sucked in a breath, and then proceeded to choke on the spit she attempted to swallow. She damn nearly dropped the box, hunching over to cough up a lung. She looked bewildered. Did he really just ask her that...?

"Uhm...no?" she declined as politely as she thought she could, still confused as to why someone she'd just met would approach her with a question as serious as that one. He smiled at her and turned his head back towards the dorms, beginning to hum to himself.

"Fair enough, miss Kagome." he stated, and the rest of the walk was silent. Finally they made it to the building, large block letters alerting her to the fact that this was Shikon Hall. She slid inside with him out of the cold, received her keys, and made her way up to the room.

Opening the door, she glanced around and gasped. This place was absolutely gorgeous. She couldn't find a way to explain it. It was HUGE! At least twice as large as her old dorm at Tokyo U. They stood in the living room, dripping wet.

"Ah! Shoes off shoes off!" someone came bellowing into the room, holding out a towel. She threw it on the ground and pointed at it, looking at them expectantly. They both shrugged at one another, placed the boxes down, and took their shoes off, placing them on the new towel placed on the ground. Kagome looked up into the face of the girl who ran into the room screaming.

"Oh, hello Miss Sango. What a pleasant surprise. I had no idea you accommodated this room!" Miroku seemed rather pleasant. The girl he spoke to rolled his eyes and mumbled something that Kagome couldn't quite catch. The girl he called Sango turned to Kagome, smiling.

"I'm Sango. Kagome, I'll assume? We've been waiting all day for you." she smiled again, walking over and grabbing her into a hug. Kagome stood there, floundering. She'd never met such open people before. Was everyone at this school so friendly?

Sango pulled back, seemingly not affected by the hug not returned. She turned to Miroku and pointed towards the door, a somewhat...knowing? Look on her face. He pouted and began to reach for what looked like her hands, but she snapped them back, pointing to the door again. He sighed, defeated, looking at Kagome again. He smiled.

"Well, Kagome. It seems my trip ends here. If you need anything, a tour, a male shoulder to cry on, or ANYTHING else, let me know. You'll find me." he winked, kissed the back of her hand, and slithered out of the door, looking back and Sango with another wink, then closed the door behind him.

"Well now that you've met Miroku, you can understand why I look so harsh towards him." Sango said, putting on her coat and hat. "Put your shoes back on, I help you with the rest of your stuff. Unless...this is it?" she looked sorry, as if she had offended Kagome.

"Oh, I have about eight more boxes to go." Kagome said sheepishly, rubbing a still numb hand on the back of her head. "Sorry." she added in for good measure. Didn't need to be pissing off the suite mates the first ten minutes she was in the dorm.

Sango giggled and disappeared for a minute, returning with what looked like an old granny laundry cart. "This should help. It's what I use to bring groceries back from the car. However with the snow I'm not sure how well it will work..." she trailed off, looking outside the window that pointed towards the parking lot.

"It wouldn't hurt to try." Kagome smiled at the long brown haired girl. Her soft brown eyes seemed to smile at her, and Kagome inwardly sighed in relief. Finally, people who looked genuinely happy. Although, if she was Sango, she'd imagine to be pretty happy too. Her hair was a beautiful chestnut brown, tied up into a high pony tail. He eyes were gentle, and her slightly taller frame than Kagome's seemed filled in all the places it needed to be.

Kagome checked her pocked to make sure her car key was still there, and headed out the door towards the elevator with Sango.

It took another hour and a half to get everything into the room. The snow turned into quite a bigger obstacle then they had originally thought. Pushing the cart was nearly impossible, nevermind the fact that the wet snow soaked through the bottom box in the cart, heaving the contents of the box all over the walkway.

By the time they lugged the remaining boxes into the living room, it had already been seven o'clock at night. Kagome pushed the door open to her room, eyes catching Sango's side. Decorated just like a girl's dorm should be decorated, with bright colors and pictures of friends and family, she'd assumed, taped to the wall. Kagome threw her shoes and coat off, slumping them on a chest at the end of her bed.

It took a few minutes to get all the boxes into the room, but when she finally did, she sighed. _'I wonder where my other roommates are?_' she thought, ripping the first box open. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Kagome woke up to the sound of the buzzing alarm clock beside her bed, that seemed a bit more comfortable that morning then it had when she'd went to sleep. She pressed the snooze button and rolled back over, intending to get a few more minutes of sleep. However, Sango didn't like that idea.

"Kagome, get up! You don't want to be late for your first class." the taller girl said, shaking Kagome's shoulder. In return, Kagome rolled over more, now laying on her stomach, her face buried in her pillow.

"Five more minutes mom."

"No, dear. Time to get up." Sango joked back, walking over to her dresser to brush her hair into her signature pony tail. Kagome rolled over and sat up, rubbing the crusty goo that was in her eyes. She slumped over towards her closet, picked some clothing out and headed towards the shower. In a half hour she was ready, as she glanced at the clock. The blaring red lights read 8:45 am. Perfect.

Sango had already promised she would show Kagome where her class was, since she had a class in the same building. Although it was so early, Kagome was excited. History was her favorite subject, and her major after all.

"Room 406B. Here ya go, Kagome. Meet me back in the room after class and we'll go get lunch?" Sango asked, already heading down the hallway to where ever her class was. Kagome nodded, until she realized Sango couldn't see her with her back turned. "Sure!" she yelled after her, before stepping into the classroom. She gasped lightly as she saw the teacher. Or was he a student? He looked too young to be a teacher, at least.

"Ah, Kagome. Please, have a seat. Lecture is about to begin." he smiled, looking as charming as ever. Kagome scrambled to find a seat, looking back up at the man. _'Miroku is the teacher! Yesterday he asks me to SLEEP with him, and here he is, a professor at this school! What a creep!' _she thought, opening her notebook, preparing herself for the many notes the class was sure to produce.

He just winked at her, turning his attention to his whole class. He began with the lecture, his tone taking many pitches and making many facial, as well as hand expressions, to keep the class entertained. The three hours practically flew by, but not without a little hand cramping from all of her writing. She glanced around the room, curious to see how many notes other students were taking.

However, no one else was. She blushed slightly, realizing she had probably looked like a major nerd. This was a first year history class, as that credit from her old school had never transferred over. Shouldn't the freshmen be concentrated on passing?

Miroku dismissed the class, but not before waving Kagome over. She walked over to him, placing her notebook in her backpack. He smiled as he leaned against his desk, arms folded over his chest.

Kagome utilized this moment to look at his physique, now that it wasn't buried beneath a coat. He was rather well built, she had to admit to herself. He looked toned, but not overly buff. She blushed again, realizing she was checking out her TEACHER.

"How did you enjoy your first lecture, Kagome?" he asked, staring intently into her brown orbs.

"It was great, Mr. Houshi." she said, addressing him by his instructor name. He chuckled and waved a finger at her.

"Call me Miroku, Kagome." he said, clearly unfazed by the inappropriateness of a student calling a professor by their first name.

"You're my professor and I'll address you as such." she sounded stern. He had to give the girl props.

"I'm only a student teacher, Kagome. I taught the class because the professor couldn't make it in all this snow. I'm a student here as well, but since I'm an education major, I partake in student teaching as well. It is in no way unprofessional for you to call me Miroku." he smiled, pleased with his explanation.

"Oh." was all she said, as she started backing up, heading towards the door.

"Are you hungry?" he shot after her, grabbing his coat off the back of the chair behind the desk.

"Yes. I'm meeting Sango at our room and we're going to get lunch. You can join if you'd like?" she asked out of politeness, not necessarily because she had wanted him there. Sango told her all about Miroku. He was a pervert, that was for sure. Apparently, the question he'd asked her wasn't all that uncommon for him.

Sango was the main target of his "affection", if she so dared call it that. Although it did seem that Sango managed to talk about him quite a lot...maybe she had been interested in him?

Well, in that case, he was off limits. No going against girl code. Even if she'd only just met the girl last night.

* * *

"What is he doing here?" Sango asked with a deadpanned face, glaring at Miroku as him and Kagome walked into the living room of their suite. Kagome gave her an apologetic look before fast walking to her room to relieve her back of her heavy backpack and freshen up. When she walked out, two other girls were sitting on the couch next to Sango.

"Oh, hello!" Kagome said cheerfully, looking at them both. The one girl had red piercing eyes, and black hair tied into a short pony tail at the top of her head. She looked almost mean, if she hadn't been smiling. Her ears were...pointed? _'Is she a demon?' _the thought rattled her brain, trying to come to terms with this. Sure, she'd heard of demons, but she'd never actually seen one this close in real life.

They fascinated her, really.

The other girl, Kagome noticed, seemed to be in a very good mood. She fidgeted and smiled, green eyes beaming. Her long red hair tied up into pig tails, also showing pointed ears. So she was a demon too?

"Hi, Kagome. I'm Kagura, and this is Ayame. We share the suite with you." the black haired girl said, standing up to hug Kagome. _'Everyone sure does love to hug around here..' _

"It's so nice to meet you Kagome! Sango has been moaning about not having a roommate for these past few weeks and it's been driving us INSANE!" the red haired girl stood, also embracing Kagome.

"Sango was moaning?" Miroku asked, stepping into the conversation.

"Shut it, Houshi." Sango's eyebrow twitched, glaring at him.

"Let's all go grab food! We need to get to know our new suite mate!" Ayame all but yelled, heading towards the door. The group followed, heading towards the cafeteria in the main building between all the dorm halls.

The food, actually wasn't that bad. Kagome had gotten a cheeseburger with cheese fries and a coke. The building seemed clean enough, bright lights and extremely high ceilings. The dining hall was littered with students, a few demons among them, Kagome noticed.

Kagome glanced at the people she sat with, eyes focusing on Sango's pretty blush when Miroku had said something that obviously complimented her. The blush, however, was followed quickly by a loud slap echoing in the hall, followed by a defeated Miroku nursing his now red cheek. Somehow this didn't seem so unnatural, because no one even paid them any mind.

"So, Kagome. How do you like the new school so far?" Ayame asked, biting into what was left of her taco. She had always had a thing for mexican food, despite her clear Japanese heritage.

"It's too soon yet to really tell. I've wanted to go here all my life, and I'm still in quite a shock." Kagome replied, chomping into her burger.

Kagura placed her slice of pizza down, not really being fond of the crust end. "What made you want to transfer here?"

Kagome looked thoughtful before answering. "We never had the money to pay for me to attend a private school. Tokyo U was close and cheap, so I went there, pushing my dreams aside. This school was beautiful, and catered more closely to my major." she finished, drinking more soda out of her can.

Time passed slowly as they all sat and chatted happily, until Kagome worked up the nerve to ask the question that had been bugging her.

"So, Ayame, Kagura...you're both demons?" she asked, looking down sheepishly, waiting to see if she'd accidentally offended them. The two aforementioned girls stared at Kagome in disbelief.

"Yes, we are. You sound like you've never met a demon before, Kagome." Kagura said, taking a sip of her beverage. At Kagome's blush and averted gaze, they all stopped and stared.

"You haven't...have you?" Ayame asked, shocked.

"It's not like I'm afraid of them or anything!" she started in her defense, looking around for something to distract her face from turning into the color of Ayame's hair.

"I grew up in a really small town, and from what I was aware of, there were no demons. Then when I attended Tokyo University, I had heard they had a rule that demons were not allowed to attend. It was too public of a school, and people from all over the country went there. Some people apparently aren't fond of demons, so the administration stopped allowing them to attend there. It's disgusting really. But because I've been so closed off from them, I've never actually seen them in real life, until you two." Kagome gestured her head towards the both of them, looking apologetic.

The two girls stared at one another before turning back to Kagome.

"Well, there is a first for everything, Kagome! What a load we have to teach you now that you get to understand what we are and all that lovely stuff!" Ayame beamed again, chewing her food thoughtfully.

"But where to start? Well we could start with the first demons-"

"No, I know ABOUT them, I just don't know any personally. Besides you two."

The girls looked confused, including Miroku, who sat munching on his apple.

"You see. I live in a shrine. It has been passed through my family for centuries. My grandfather is very in to telling legends and old folk tales about the shrine and my family. I come from a long line of priestesses, apparently. He has told me all about demons, showed me pictures, and educated me to the best of his ability. He didn't want me to be in trouble if I ever ran into one who meant me harm." she finished, chugging the rest of her coke.

She received a collective "ohhhhh", and the subject changed. She was half of the people she'd met at school so far were demons, there were sure to be many more around her.

Lunch passed by much too fast, and the time for her next class arrived. It dragged on, as she had imagined calculus would. She hated math with such a passion. Her teacher seemed to pick on her for only the answers she didn't know. Which seemed to be all of them.

The rest of the day flew by uneventful, minus getting lost here and there, and she found herself back in her room by 7:00 pm. No sooner had she flopped onto her bed, that her cell phone rang. She sighed as she plucked it off the end table she had just placed it on, read the screen, and pressed the answer button.

"Hello, mama." she said sweetly, rolling onto her back. There was a long pause. Kagome sat up, worry starting to edge the features of her normally delicate face.

"Mama? Hellloooo?" she said into the receiver, waiting impatiently for an answer. Just as she was about to hang up, she her a muffled cry.

"Mama! What's wrong?" Kagome yelled, getting a weird feeling in her belly. She didn't like this.

"Ka...Kagome. Jii-chan...your grandfather passed away, Kagome." was all her mother managed to croak out, and Kagome's world seemed to stop. She felt her heart thudding in her chest, her blood rushing past her ears and most likely turning her face an unhealthy shade of red. Her hand shook as she clasped it around the phone tighter, either in the immediate stress she was put under, or in fear she'd drop it and it'd break.

"Mama...How?" she whispered, close to tears.

"He's been sick for a while, Kagome. You know that. He held on. He wanted to see you genuinely happy, Kagome. I keep telling myself he's in a better place...but it's just so hard. Grandpa is gone." her mother whispered back, starting to cry again.

Kagome couldn't hold it back. She cried as she listened to her mother cry in return. Her grandpa was really gone? Kagome wished more than anything that she could hear him tell one of his folk tales again. Anything to bring that man happiness again. To hear his voice again. To see him alive, happy.

But she couldn't. All she could hear was faint talking in the living room, her mother crying, and the sniffles she was now producing, trying to keep the liquid from running out of her nose.

It seemed like forever before she got off of the phone with her mother. She wanted to go home so desperately, but it would have to wait until the weekend. She still needed to attend her classes for the rest of the week. Her jii-chan wouldn't appreciate her skipping, even if it was to be home with her family.

Plus, she needed to go home this weekend anyway. Her mother mentioned something on the phone that would need Kagome's attention. Her grandfather had left a will. _'I never knew he was waiting to die.' _she thought as she pondered what would possibly be in the will. People only made wills if they knew they were going to die. At least that's what Kagome thought.

She sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. She really should attempt to sleep. It was late, and she had another early class in the morning. But how could she sleep with all of this sadness? It just didn't seem possible. She laid in bed, now in her pajamas, and pulled the covers up over her head. Sango hadn't been in the room, probably still in the living room.

She had come in to change when she saw Kagome crying on the phone. Kagome had asked to be left alone, so Sango complied. She hadn't seen her in hours.

Kagome's eyes drifted close, the new information taking a toll on her body. Her mind, more than a few times, had drifted back to the will. What had been so important that her mother couldn't tell her over the phone? _'I guess I'll have to wait until Saturday...' _Maybe she would be able to fall asleep after all. And so, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep—which is what she wanted. Any dreams during the night would have quickly turned into nightmares in her state of mind.

* * *

Hokay! First chapter done! It's hard to start a new story, so please excuse the almost boring chapter. _Feedback is love. _

-Caitlin


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I promise the chapters will pick up soon. I'm still working out minor details here, but it's starting to come along. Anyway, I in no way, shape, or form own anything Inuyasha related besides my pillowcase.

* * *

Cutting Through the Bamboo

The night seemed to come and go in an instant, as her alarm clock blared out through the dorm room. She sat up, mentally and emotionally exhausted from the night before. It hadn't fully hit her yet, that her grandfather was really gone. He had just been smiling and waving at her three days ago, and now he was being buried, probably as she spoke.

It was bone chilling, really. Someone with so much life buried into their very soul was being placed six feet under, destined to be worm food until there was nothing left besides bones. This didn't help Kagome feel any better, so she shook her head slightly, as if to cast the thoughts out of her brain. Looking at the clock, she realized she had less time than she thought to get ready and get to her teaching education class.

Skipping her shower today, she dressed quickly, grabbed a piece of toast that Sango had made her before she left for her class, and trudged out of the door. She was in no mood to attend any classes, but she couldn't let her grandpa down.

After getting lost for twenty minutes, she finally stormed into her class, smiling apologetically as the professor eyed her warily. The old woman just motioned for Kagome to sit down in one of the available desks. Kagome scanned the students, trying to sit next to one who didn't look like they'd be much of a distraction. She spotted Miroku and sighed, taking the seat next to him.

"Are you okay, Miss Kagome? You look tired." he whispered, trying not to draw attention to himself. He glanced at the professor, looking cautious before turning his head back to Kagome, waiting for her answer.

She looked at him, sad eyes not willing to let out any more tears. She sighed quietly, shaking her head slightly as if she didn't want to talk about it. "My jii-chan passed away last night. He was very dear to me, and was sick for a while. We never thought he'd actually give up." she muffled a cry and wiped her eyes before the tears spilled.

Miroku suddenly stood up, the sound of his chair screeching against the floor catching the room's attention. "Come on Kagome. We can skip this class. We'll go get something to eat and you can talk if you'd like." he spoke in his normal speaking voice, aware the entire class had their eyes trained on him.

"I can't skip class. I promised my jii-chan." she spoke quieter than her friend, a blush rising from her neck. No matter how sad she was, she wouldn't fall behind in her classes.

He urged her gently out of her seat, against her slight protests. Her heart just wasn't in it to stay in class today, so her fighting wasn't as strong as it would have been. He ushered her out of the classroom, but not before shooting a wink to professor Kaede.

"You can come to my room, if you'd like?" he asked as they walked towards the dorm buildings. She looked at him skeptically with an eyebrow raised, not trusting him. _'Would he really try making a move on me in my condition? …...I wouldn't be surprised.' _she added as an afterthought. A sweatdrop formed at the back of her head as she saw him blush slightly.

"I know what you're thinking! It's not like that! I just figured you'd want to go somewhere and relax, and not have your roommates question you endlessly. That's all." he said, rubbing his hand on the back of his head. Kagome seemed to accept that answer and followed him into Wind Hall.

The building was identical to her own, high ceilings and clean, immaculate flooring. They rode the elevator up to the third floor, and walked to his room. Expecting to see a room that was identical to her own, however more manly, she gasped when he opened the door.

She couldn't describe the mess that had been in her line of vision at that moment. How on earth could anyone live like this? Clothes had been scattered everywhere, even though they had their own rooms to dirty. The filth seemed to travel throughout the entire suite. Empty packets of ramen, empty wrappers and boxers seemed to litter the floor in piles upon piles.

As if reading her thoughts, Miroku spoke. "Sorry for the mess. My roommates are incredibly sloppy and no matter how hard I clean they just mess it up anyway." he shrugged, leading her to his room.

She could tell which side was his, if the posters of half naked girls were any indication. His side of the room was rather clean though, she noticed as her eyes surveyed the room. She was surprised that there was someone sleeping in the other bed. He had long brown hair and what looked like fur wrapped around his waist and legs. She noted his pointy ears and determined that he was a demon as well. But what kind?

"It's rude to stare at people, ya know." the man spoke from the bed, sitting up rather harshly. He glared at her, but instantly his eyes softened as he looked her up and down. He smirked, getting up off the bed and walking over to her. He grasped her hands in his, placing them on his chest.

Kagome blushed slightly, feeling his hardened muscles under her hands. She looked over at Miroku with pleading eyes, not needing to put up with another flirtatious man in her mind set. He sighed and shook his head, pulling the man by the hair and away from his new friend.

"Kouga. Don't even think about it. Scatter." Miroku said simply, pointing his finger towards the door. The man dubbed Kouga huffed, before turning towards Kagome.

"What, are you gay or somethin?" he said, obviously offended she hadn't taken to the charm that radiated from him. Miroku gawked and Kagome fumed, temporarily forgetting her worries.

"NO I AM NOT GAY!" she yelped, stomping on his foot. He didn't seem phased, only confused.

"Then why have you refused me so? I am quite handsome." Kouga said arrogantly, flipping his hair from off his shoulder to dangle down his back. His eyes seemed playful, yet held a challenge in them.

"I'm sorry but I'm not interested in anyone right now. I have too much going on in my life." she stated simply, trying to let him down easily. She looked at Miroku again, trying to speak to him with her eyes to tell him to get rid of this man.

"I'll accept that answer for now, beautiful woman. I shall leave you alone if you answer me this: may I have your name?" he asked, grabbing her hands yet again, making her uncomfortable.

"Kagome."

"Well then Kagome, I look forward to seeing you again." Kouga kissed the back of her hand and walked out of the room, glaring at Miroku first, before shutting the door behind him. Kagome sighed, sitting down on Miroku's bed.

"Would you like to take a nap, Kagome? When is your next class? I'll be sure to wake you up." Miroku said politely, noticing the bags under her eyes. She sighed for what seemed like the 800th time since that morning and nodded.

"I'm done with class for the day. Tuesday's are my slow days. Thank you." she smiled appreciatively, laying down on his bed. He smiled in return, heading for the door. He shut the light, walked out and left the door cracked, so a sliver of light shone through from the living room.

Kagome let her body relax on the bed, thinking to herself. _'Oh if only mama knew I was in a boys bed right now...' _she giggled lightly to herself, despite the depressed feeling that had taken over her since last night. She closed her eyes, sleep surprisingly now the only thing on her mind.

* * *

"Hello? Oh hey. Yeah. Wanna do something this weekend? Oh shut it." Kagome woke up to the sound of Miroku talking to someone, but she couldn't hear anyone responding. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, then proceeded to walk towards the sound of Miroku's voice. She walked out and saw him talking on his cell phone.

"Miroku? Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to say thank you." she said to him as he looked up to her, not previously noticing she had entered the room.

"Hold on." he spoke to the person on the phone. He smiled up at her with worry in his eyes.

"No problem, Kagome. Are you hungry? We could go get some food." he suggested, standing up with the phone still in his hand as the other person seemed to wait not so patiently, judging by his yelling.

"No, I'm alright. I'm going to go take a hot bath and relax. I'm not that hungry. Besides, it's only four in the afternoon. We can catch dinner?" she said, collecting her shoes by the door.

"Sure. I'll meet you at your room around seven?" he asked, walking over to her to give her a hug. He wouldn't admit it, because it would probably destroy a part of his playboy reputation, but he had no interest in Kagome anymore. He'd only known her for a few days, but she seemed more like a little sister to him than anything else.

"Alright. Tell your friend I apologize for the interruption." she smiled apologetically.

"I will. See you soon." He spoke, putting the phone back to his ear and then immediately pulling it away, the yelling from the other end too loud.

"What? Yes there is a girl in my room. Yes, she is rather beautiful. Hey! You think so little of me...she only took a nap!" he started yelling back to the person on the other line, blushing a bit. Kagome just giggled and walked out, heading back to her own dorm. She had felt a bit better, thanks to Miroku and that lovely nap in a comfortable bed with a comfortable manly smell invading her nose every time she breathed in. She supposed she was, deep down, preparing for her grandfather to pass ever since he became sick. Old people had a harder time recovering from illnesses.

Kagome yawned as she reached her room. No one was in the room, and she was kind of relieved. She didn't quite feel like talking to anyone. She was anxious to get home and help out her family. But it would have to wait until the weekend.

* * *

The weekend came dreadfully slow, which Kagome was partially grateful for. She was excited and unenthusiastic about it at the same time. She would have to see her mother's crying face, and her little brother Souta's grim expression as he tried to, she guessed, stay strong for mother.

She stepped out of the car and stretched her legs, sighing in content at the relief the stretch brought. She trudged up the shrine stairs and walked into the house, looking around for any sign of her remaining family members.

"Kagome dear, is that you?" her mother called from the kitchen, walking out holding a dish towel and wearing a smile on her pretty face. Kagome looked surprised seeing her mother in such a good mood. Rei walked over and embraced her daughter, hugging her tightly.

Kagome relaxed into her mother's arms and hugged her back.

"Hi mama. How are you and Souta?" she asked, following her mother back into the kitchen. Her mother smiled with her eyes closed as she headed back towards drying the dishes laying in the dish drain.

"We're well, thank you. Much better now that a few days have passed. Although it is still quiet around here without all of his stories." she laughed lightly, picking up a dish and drying it with the towel. Kagome looked surprised, but tried not to let her mother see it. How could they be so alright with it after only five days. Everyone handled it differently, she supposed.

"Mama, where is the will grandpa left? You said you needed to show it to me."

"Oh dear, that can wait until later. Sit, relax. I'll cook some oden for dinner." her mother shooed her off to go sit in the living room with her brother.

* * *

Dinner was wonderful. It was nice to have a nice hot bowl of oden in the comfort of her own home. Her mother cleaned up after her smaller family and lead them all into the living room, preparing herself to show the children the will.

Rei pulled out the old piece of paper, followed by what looks like a journal of some sort.

"My dearest family. If you are reading this, it means my time has come to join my beautiful wife and son-in-law in the heavens above. Do not be sad, fore I am happy and thus you should all be also. I have left everything I own in this will, and I insist you follow it in detail." Rei started off, having already read the will herself.

"Rei, my darling daughter. I leave you the deed to the house along with some money to help you start paying off the second mortgage. I know you will be a fantastic mother, just as you have been these passed twenty one years." she sniffled quietly, her heart wrenching as she re-read the words.

"To my dearest Souta, I leave you in charge of the shrine museum. You are young, but a quick learner. I trust everything to do well in your capable hands. Live happy, young one." Souta hugged his mother, trying to hold back his tears from spilling over.

"And last but certainly not least, my precious granddaughter Kagome. The fire you hold inside of you matches that of my own when I was your age. Your passion for history is the reason why I gave you this. Please, my dear. Read my journal. If you can finish what I have asked of you, you will receive the rest of my money to attend your school without burdening your mother. Good luck, my lovely Kagome. For it is not an easy task, and it very well may possibly destroy you in the process." her grandfather's will stated, as she looked towards the journal sitting on the coffee table.

"This old thing? What could he possibly have for me to do in here?" she more asked herself than the other two family members in the room. She picked up the old thing and vaguely flipped through it, cocking an eyebrow at how full it was. _'I can't believe gramps kept a journal. That seems a bit...school girlish._' she thought to herself, smiling slightly.

"Well what on earth could that mean?" Rei stated, a confused look painted onto her face. She had read the will earlier, but she still couldn't figure out what her father was talking about. Surely she'd known if her dad had been in search of something, or trying to accomplish something before he died. He never mentioned anything, and the journal was new to her as well.

The three sat in silence for a few moments before Kagome stood up, journal in hand, and dismissed herself to go to her old room. She climbed up the stairs and opened her room door, breathing in the familiar smell that was hers. She slumped onto her lumpy, yet loveable twin mattress and placed the journal in her lap.

She opened up to the first page and started reading quietly to herself. Whatever was in this journal, she had to figure out and do what he asked of her, to receive her grandfathers inheritance. She couldn't burden her mother any longer with the college bills, even though she'd just taken a second mortgage out on the shrine. Her mom had enough to worry about now with grandpa gone and Souta being a teenage boy.

_**March 27th, 1982**_

_**I think I've figured it out. It's only a matter of time before he figures it out too. Much to do, not much time.**_

_**-Souten**_

_'Well what the hell is he talking about? Figured what out? Who is the other man?' _Kagome was now more confused than she had been when she read the will. Her grandpa seemed rushed in the first entry of the journal. To get more information, she kept reading.

_**April 3rd, 1982**_

_**He has figured it out. Oh holy hell. Now what? This quest was already hard enough without having a demon after the same thing. If it falls into his hands, Buddha only knows what could happen. I have to get it before he does. I just need to figure out how.**_

_**-Souten**_

"What the hell is grandpa talking about?" she spoke aloud this time, getting frustrated. She almost slammed the journal closed, her anger getting the best of her. Who was he talking about? Even better, WHAT was he talking about? Something caught her eye, so she continued reading.

_**April 5th, 1982**_

_**I figured out how to get the Celestial Robe. Naraku has too. This is dangerous. I can't seem to attain the last item, though. Naraku still has a chance. I need to figure out something fast, before all hell breaks loose. The Bamboo Cutter really should have elaborated in his tale.**_

_**-Souten**_

"Wait a minute. The Celestial Robe? Who is Naraku? And who the HELL is the Bamboo Cutter!" Kagome seemed to be having more questions than answers at this point. Nothing was making sense. She really should keep reading, but her tired eyes just wouldn't seem to let her. She closed the journal and placed it on the table next to her bed. Maybe reading more in the morning with a fresh mind and pair of eyes would enlighten a bit.

Hell, maybe she'd even ask Miroku. He was a history major too and he might know more about all this nonsense. One thing was certain: Her grandfather was undeniably insane. However, if she didn't complete this seemingly impossible task, her family would drown in bills and stress. And she just couldn't have that.

So, letting herself forget about the journal, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The drive back had felt longer than her other two trips so far. Perhaps it was because she had been anxious to get back to school and talk to Miroku right away. As soon as she had arrived at the school, she ran to his room, knocking on his door with the journal in her hand.

Miroku swung the door open, beer in hand. He looked angry for a minute before letting his features soften, and stepped aside to let Kagome in. She looked longingly at the beer, and Miroku caught it. He walked over to his fridge, pulled one out and tossed it to her. She grabbed it with her free hand and made her way to the couch, patting the seat next to her. He sat down, took a swig of Bud Light, and faced her.

"Are you angry at something?" she started the conversation, cracking open her own beer and taking a sip. The cold liquid tasted sour, but slid down her throat with ease. She always was a sucker for beer.

"I was, but I'm alright now. Just drowning my sorrows with beer I suppose." he chuckled and took another sip, glancing at the phone hanging on the wall near the kitchen. She took notice but decided not to press further. He would tell her if he felt like it.

"My friend really pisses me off. It's nothing serious." He seemed to see the curiosity on her face and answered her silent question. She smiled slightly, holding up her beer to him to toast. He clinked his beer against hers and smiled in return.

"To being young, stupid, and carefree." he said, taking a sip to finalize his side of the toast. Kagome, however, didn't drink. She looked down at the journal suddenly, causing Miroku to finally look down at it as well.

"What have you got there? Your diary?" he joked, reaching for it. She handed it over gently.

"No. It's my grandfathers. He left it to me when he passed away. I need your help, Miroku." she said, matching his gaze with her own.

"I'll do what I can." he said, opening the journal. "Care explaining with what?"

"Grandpa left me a task of some sort. From what I've read so far, he has been trying to do it for 30 years and apparently never finished. He asked me to finish it. But I have no idea what he was talking about." she said, pointing to the three entries she had read the night before. She watched him as he read them, his brow furrowing.

He finished and placed the journal down beside them, turning to face her. He looked thoughtful, so she sat and waited for him to speak. She took another gulp of her beer before it could get warm. She felt oddly comfortable with a beer in her hand, sitting with Miroku. She'd come to think of him as a dear friend, in the extremely short time they'd known one another.

"From what I understand, your grandfather was on the quest to find the five items, that, in the Bamboo Cutter's Tale, the suitors for Kaguya-hime requested. It is just a folk tale, as far as I had known until this point in my life. From piecing together what he has written, I'm guessing he was trying to collect them? But I'm not sure what the robe is about, or who Naraku is. I hope that helps you at all." he said sheepishly, embarrassed that he didn't know more.

She smiled at him reassuringly, leaning over to hug him. They embraced a short while before pulling apart and finishing their beer. "That did help, thank you. Unfortunately it's not nearly enough of me to go off of. I need someone who knows a lot about history to help me figure this all out." she sighed, hands grazing over the journal.

"I think I may know someone who can help. He's been around a few hundred years, so he should know something." Miroku said, agitation laced in his voice a bit. _'Maybe he was the person Miroku was angry with.'_

"Wait..did you say a few HUNDRED years? Does that mean he's a demon?" she asked as she got up and threw the empty beer bottle into the recycling bin. Well, what she thought was the recycling bin. There were a few articles of clothing in there, so it could have been a hamper in this messy place for all she knew.

Miroku followed her actions, then grabbed another beer. He made the suggestion of giving her another one but she declined. "Sort of. He is a half demon. His mother was a human and his father was a demon."

"Oh. Well alright. When do you think we could meet him? I'd like to get started on this task as soon as possible. Who knows how long it will take." Kagome got up and made a move towards the door, mind set on leaving after he answered.

"I'll call him and ask him when he is free. But I must warn you, he isn't the friendliest of people. He may just turn us down outright." he said with a weird tone to his voice as he opened his next beer. Clearly he wouldn't be stopping anytime soon today. She smiled lightly to herself.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to try! He may be the only option." she nodded as she opened the door handle. Peering back, she added something as an afterthought.

"What about our other demon friends? Would they know anything?"

"Doubtful. They have no interest in history if you haven't already realized. They lived through it, but probably never paid attention. You know them." he laughed as he laid down on the couch and grabbed the remote to the television.

"Right. Oh, and Miroku?" she paused as she waited for him to look at her, to let her know he was still listening. He did. "Don't get hammered. We have class tomorrow, professor." she giggled as she heard his grumble when she closed his door.

The new information was flooding her brain, making her feel drained. The seven hour car ride probably didn't help either. She was going to meet a half demon who could hopefully give her the information she needed to fulfill this task. He couldn't be as bad as Miroku said he was, could he?

She shook her head and headed towards her room. She had a lot of catching up to do with Sango. Plus, she had to ask Ayame and Kagura if they had known anything. It couldn't hurt to ask them.

* * *

"Sorry Kagome." Ayame responded to Kagome's question, looking to Kagura.

"I'm sorry too. I've never heard of anything like that before. Maybe you'll have more luck with Miroku's friend." Kagura said as she towel dried her hair and sat back down on the couch. Kagome wasn't feeling very lucky right then. Both her demon friends had no clue what her grandfather's journal was talking about.

"Do you know who it is?" Kagura questioned the girl as she tossed her towel into the hamper by the bathroom and missed. "No idea. All Miroku told me was that he was some half demon who has been alive for a few hundred years." Kagome responded, munching on her bag of doritos.

"Wait. Miroku's friend. Half demon..." Ayame trailed off, looking at Sango and Kagura wearily. They returned the look Ayame gave them and all focused back onto Kagome.

"Kagome, if the friend of Miroku is who we think he is, we should warn you. He isn't the-" Sango was cut off.

"I know, he isn't the nicest person in the world according to Miroku. I don't care if he has fangs and threatens to rip my arms off, as long as I get the answers I need to get this done." she responded, feeling a bit nervous from their worried looks.

"Ha! 'not the nicest person in the world'. That's all Miroku told you? Oh dear." Ayame said.

"Miroku's friend is the cockiest, most arrogant son of a bitch I've ever met. He is barely tolerable on his good days. And I should know, I'm dating his older half-brother." Kagura said, smirking.

"Oh! I didn't know you had a boyfriend. He can't be THAT bad if Miroku is friends with him!" Kagome tried to assure herself more than anyone else. She started biting her nails, a nervous antic she'd picked up a few years back.

"Yes, I'm dating his older brother Sesshomaru. Maybe I'll have you meet him sometime soon. He may be able to help with the situation you're in." Kagura stood up and grabbed the remote, clicking the television on to the news channel.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." Kagome stood up and stretched, mumbling something that sounded like a 'good night' and headed towards her room. She laid in bed thinking about the task her grandfather had asked her to complete. Why did it have to be difficult? Why couldn't he just leave a to do list? 1. Collect this bla bla bla. 2. Find this bla bla bla. 3. Get paid.

Of course not. Jii-chan liked riddles and challenges. She supposed she would just have to read more of the journal and hope Miroku's demon friend- excuse her, _half _demon friend knew more than she did.

* * *

Inuyasha is coming in the next chapter, I promise! Finally it's getting underway.

_Feedback is love._

_-_Caitlin


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Yes, everyone. InuYasha will be making his grand appearance in this chapter, finally. Prepare yourselves. Reviews are HIGHLY appreciated and I enjoy suggestions very much.

* * *

Cutting Through the Bamboo

Kagome listened as her heels clicked and clacked down the long hallway to her morning teaching class. They had to 'dress to impress' today, as the professor would be coming back to class. She was thankful that she had had plenty of business clothing. She donned her petite body with a pencil skirt stopping about three inches above her knees, a plain white button down shirt and the matching suit jacket on top of it. Her glittering black heels contrasted nicely to her light gray work suit.

Kagome stepped into class, noticing the professor wasn't there yet. She looked for Miroku, but he hadn't been there either. _'Please don't tell me he's skipping, I'll freaking kill him!' _she huffed and picked a random seat in the middle of the classroom. She took out her red notebook labeled 'Teaching' and her black pen, and placed them on her barely-enough-space-for-a-midget desk. "Excuse me?" someone to her right spoke, causing Kagome to remove herself from her thoughts and look towards the voice.

"Oh, hello." she responded, sending a smile in that person's direction. She had never noticed him in the class before. _'Maybe he is new too?' _His bright orange hair and his small physique made her pity him in a way. People who looked like that were normally picked on at her old school. However, his pointy ears and...tail? Indicated that he was a demon. So perhaps he wasn't picked on due to his hidden strength.

"My name's Shippo. You're Kagome right?" he asked and received a quizzical look in return. He sat down next to her and took out his supplies, adjusting his tie absentmindedly. He seemed uncomfortable in his dress pants and power blue shirt. She nodded at the man, still wondering what on earth he wanted and how he knew her. She was sure that she'd never seen him before now. It would be hard to miss that bright orange hair.

"I'm Miroku's suite mate. He gave me a message to give to you." he said as he took out a piece of paper and handed it over to her. She took it and prepared to open it, but figured it might be rude to ignore the boy next to her in lieu of reading a note. She placed it on her desk, intent on reading it after their conversation was done.

She looked up at him and noticed he was doodling on his notebook. Or what looked to be what was left over of his notebook. Half the cover was ripped off, and what was left of it had writing and drawings all over it. He didn't seem that bad of an artist, from the looks of it. She cleared her throat to get the boys attention. It had worked. He peered his lovely green eyes up at her.

"So you're his suite mate? I've yet to meet the other two people in the room. I've already had the …..pleasure...of meeting Kouga already." she placed a small smirk on her face as she saw him roll his eyes and laugh at the mention of the wolf demon.

He looked towards the door as it opened, and an older gentlemen stepped inside. He walked over to the desk in the front of the room and placed his coat on the back of the rolling chair and began unpacking his briefcase.

Shippo turned back to Kagome. "Yeah, I heard about that. My room mates are a bunch of twits. Sorry. I'm not in the room much though. I'm not too fond of my room mate and yet every year I'm stuck with him again.' he explained as he put his pen down, only to pick it up again in a few seconds and fix something on one of his doodles.

"Well hopefully you'll be in there more often. It's always nice to have good friends. Especially when you're new here." she smiled and faced the front, physically signaling the conversation over. She glanced down at the lined paper folded up on top her notebook, silently wondering if she would have enough time to read it before the professor began his lecture. She shrugged inwardly and opened the note, reading it to herself.

_**My dearest Kagome,**_

_**I am sorry I have to miss class today. After you left I had one too many beers, heh. I hope you can survive without me! Come to my room after class, and we can go get lunch. I talked to my friend, he'll meet us after our classes are done tonight at his apartment. If that is alright with you. See you soon beautiful!**_

_**Yours Truly,**_

_**Miroku**_

_**P.S. You left your journal here last night. It's being safely kept in my chest in my room. Don't fret my pet.**_

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes at his blatant compliments and flirtatious nature. That was just who he was, after all. She folded the note back up and placed it in her purse, then opened her notebook. She picked up her pen and started doodling like Shippo had been doing, on the inside cover of her notebook. Just hearts and stick figures, compared to the orange haired demons mountain tops and gardens.

She blushed at the comparison and closed her notebook again, focusing on the teachers clearing of his throat. He looked to be about seventy years old, with a hunch back. He wrote his name on the board in scraggly letters: "Professor Totosai." He took in a deep breath as he opened his large textbook, flipped to a certain page, and began reading. The whole class groaned, and Kagome inwardly sighed. This would be a long class.

* * *

"Kagome! Hey, Kagome!" Sango yelled across the cafeteria to the raven haired girl sitting with Miroku. Kagome waved her over, but cocked her head to the side slightly, confused as to who the other boy was who was with her. Sango and the boy walked over and sat down, smiling. Kagome returned the smile, then took a bite of her ramen.

"Miroku."

"Sango."

They both glared at each other. _'Wonder what's up with them..' _ she thought as she munched more on her steaming bowl of ramen. She shook her head and looked over at the boy who was sitting next to Sango, smiling and looking directly at her. He had short brown hair and warm brown eyes. He looked to be about the same height as Sango. _'And almost the same build..'_ she giggled to herself. He was rather scrawny. "I'm Kagome." she stuck out her hand and motioned for him to shake it.

"Hojo. I'm Miroku's suite mate." he said as he took her hand in his own, brought it to his mouth and kissed the back of it. She blushed a pretty shade of pink and pulled her hand away, beginning to find her ramen much more interesting then it had been before. He just kept looking at her, smiling. It was getting rather creepy.

"Hey Hojo." Miroku nodded as he too bit more into his ramen. Sango huffed and turned towards Kagome. Something was definitely the matter. "Is everything alright, Sango?"

"Fine. Houshi is just an idiot." she said, not even looking up at him. She got up and went to go order her food, followed quickly by a steaming Miroku. That just left her and Homo. Or was it Hobo? …..Hodo?

"So, Miss Kagome. Sango has told me much about you." he smiled at her with that same overbearing grin and made Kagome cock an eyebrow. "Oh? I hope it was all good." she tried being polite, after all, she just met the boy. Even if he did seem a bit..in your face, she had to give him a friendly chance.

That would be the only chance she gave him, a friendly one. She wasn't attracted to short guys. Even though he had been an inch or two taller than Sango, that made him only about four inches taller than her. She didn't like that.

Call her snobby, but she just wasn't attracted. But she was sure he would be a nice friend to have around. She smiled as she waited for him to respond. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the movies tonight with me, Higurashi? There is this new movie out I've been wanting to see."

"Uh...uhm...Homo-"

"Hojo."

"Right. Sorry. Hojo. I'm busy tonight, actually. I'm going with Miroku to meet a friend of his. Sorry." she sighed in relief to herself, she was in no way ready to be going on dates. Especially with someone she didn't find attractive.

"Oh. Well that's alright. Maybe when you get back tonight you can come over and we can just watch some television or study together?" his hope seemed lifted again as more ideas seemed to flash passed his eyes. She made a deadpanned face and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. Pushing her ramen away, she sighed.

"We'll see. I'm not sure when I'll be back. Miroku said he's rather a rude person, so it may take a while to get what I need from him." she said as she cracked open her can of coke. She took a sip and placed it back down on the white table. Kagome looked up at him, expecting a crestfallen expression.

Instead, he looked kind of...angry? Or what that boy could manage as angry. He still held his smile but it didn't quite reach his eyes this time. "Are you meeting InuYasha?" he asked, his voice seeming a little forced, but that smile still plastered on his face.

"I'm not sure what his name is. All I know is that he is a half demon." she replied, cocking an eyebrow. Was he...jealous? But she barely knew him...and she's never even met Miroku's friend before.

"Yes, that's him. InuYasha. I must warn you, Kagome. He is kind of a ladies man..." Hojo trailed off, a blush forming across his rather feminine face. "That's fine, Hojo. I can handle myself. I figured as much if he's friends with Miroku." she laughed at him and pulled her ramen back towards her to finish it. Never let ramen go to waste.

"I don't like him very much."

Why the hell was he confiding in her? She'd literally just met this boy and already he was talking about someone else to her like she was his best friend. She just smiled politely at him and continued eating her ramen, not wanting him to elaborate.

Miroku came back with a blushing Sango carrying a tray of food. _'I see they made up.' _ "So, Kagome. Are you happy you may get more information for your task?" Sango asked, setting her tray down on the table. Sango sat down beside Miroku and Kagome, leaving Hojo to inhabit the other side of the table alone.

"Very much. I'm hoping he can be of help. I don't like wasting my or other people's time." she smiled and drank the liquid from her ramen. Sango smiled back and glanced at Hojo after she heard a slight huff. Sango rolled her eyes and nudged Miroku to look over at the slightly sulking Hojo.

"Cheer up, bud. InuYasha isn't that bad of a guy. I highly doubt he'll steal Kagome from you." Miroku joked, but hushed himself when Hojo actually sent him a glare. He had never seen Hojo this worked up over someone before, nor had he ever seem him look this mad.

"Excuse me?" Kagome questioned as she looked over at Miroku. He grinned sheepishly and shrugged. Kagome in turn looked at Sango, and Sango looked angry. "What's going on here?"

"Well you see, Kagome. I sort of...promised Hojo here...that you would go out with him." Miroku spat out before getting whacked over the head with a tray yielded by Sango. _'Well I guess that's what she was mad at him for. Damnit Miroku.' _"Oh."

"I'm terribly sorry, Hojo. I just have a lot going on in my life right now and I don't have time for a man. You understand right? I'd like to be friends though!" she tried to sound cheerful to get him out of his bad mood.

He piped up when he heard the smile in her voice and returned the smile. "Sure, Kagome. Just promise not to go falling into the arms of another boy until you give me an honest chance." he smirked at her a bit, but his face came out looking as is he was constipated. She had to hold in the laugh that was bubbling to come out of her.

"Sure, Hojo. Promise."

* * *

_Thump. Whack. Thump thump thump. _

Sounds could be heard from the outside of the apartment. Kagome looked over at Miroku wearily. From all she's heard about this half demon by now, she wouldn't be surprised if he was murdering someone in there. Either that or entertaining company of the woman variety.

Miroku just smiled at her and reached under the welcome mat and pulled out a copper colored key. He slid it into the hole on the door knob and turned it counter-clockwise and pushed the off-white colored door open. He walked in and held the door open for her, allowing her to enter the apartment. She slowly stepped in and took a look around. Miroku closed the door, after putting the key back under the mat outside.

"Inuyasha. Stop beating the crap out of that thing and come out here. You have visitors." Miroku yelled, walking over to the refrigerator and grabbing two beers. He gave one to Kagome and motioned for her to sit at the island counter in the middle of the kitchen with him. She sat and opened her beer, placing her journal on the counter in front of her.

The sounds didn't stop for a few more minutes, so Kagome and Miroku just sat drinking their beer, making small talk with one another. Kagome's eyes dragged along the parts of the apartment that she could see. Bright, clean white walls with barely any decorations aside from diplomas, it seemed. A lot of them.

The kitchen led to what looked to be the living room, with simple leather couches and a television. A few pictures were standing on an end table next to one of the couches, but she couldn't make out who they were or what they were of. She could see a hallway, where she assumed the bathroom and bedroom must have been. It was modest but spacious enough for one man.

Or a man and his girlfriend/fiance/wife? She wasn't sure if he really lived alone or not. She looked up when she heard a door slam and footsteps stomp in the direction of the kitchen. She perked up, getting a bit anxious. His reputation made her a bit nervous, but she was still hopeful that he could help her.

Out stepped the man she had been hearing so much about. She all but choked on her beer as he stepped into her line of view. Her heart beat quickened as she gulped more of the beer. She had the feeling she'd need a few more of these if she wanted to calm her nerves now. He must have been working out or doing some physical activity in there.

_'Perhaps he was entertaining someone of the woman variety...' _Kagome thought as she noticed his shirtless form, with only a towel swung over his right shoulder. He walked into the kitchen and Kagome couldn't manage to form actual words. She decided to just drink the beer quicker and hope that Miroku could take care of the introduction for her.

She felt someone staring at her, so she looked towards Miroku who had the dirtiest little smirk on his face that she'd seen yet. She blushed an unhealthy shade of red as she tried to hide her face behind the beer can that was being gripped in her right hand.

"Inuyasha, this is Kagome. Kagome, Inuyasha." Miroku said, getting up to throw out his empty beer and grab another one. Judging by how fidgety Kagome was, he decided to grab her one as well. He slid it across the counter and she caught it, chugging down the last of her first beer.

She finally pulled it away from her face when the coldness of the beer seemed to chill her heated face. "Pleasure to meet you, Inuyasha." she spoke firmly, however her voice had wavered a bit in the beginning. He just nodded towards her and turned towards Miroku.

"I need to hop in the shower, I'm sweating like a damned pig. Wait ten minutes." the hanyou had said, and Kagome almost stopped breathing when she had heard his voice. It was so masculine, much deeper and lumberjack-esque than any of her other friends. It was rough, yet not completely harsh. Just incredibly sexy.

She noted the unusual color of his hair: Silver. The lights in the apartment made the silver locks almost appear white, had it not been for the dimly lit area he had been standing in. It looked long, but she couldn't tell how long because it was tied into a low ponytail. She felt like she was being rude by blatantly staring at him, but she just couldn't seem to pull her eyes away.

He seemed to be saying something to Miroku, so hopefully he hadn't noticed her staring. She noticed the hardened, defined jawline, his impeccable pecs, biceps and..oh lord, those _abs. _Was it getting hot in here, or was it just him?

Miroku stood up and stood next to Inuyasha, pointing to Kagome's grandfathers journal. It was then when she noticed how tall he was. He was hovering at least four inches over Miroku, who was already about seven inches taller than her. He had to be at least 6'3''. Just what Kagome liked.

Inuyasha looked over at her. Miroku must have said something about her, causing the hanyou to look over in her direction. She blushed again and cracked open her second beer, gulping half of it down. His eyes pierced through what felt like her very core. The blazing amber color focused onto hers as a smirk split out onto his face.

_'Eh? Did he see me staring at him? Oh kami. Judging by that smirk I'd say what everyone was saying about him is true. He does seem cocky.' _ Kagome thought as she found a string on her suit jacket quite interesting.

She really should have changed before coming, but she liked getting dressed up sometimes. Her feet had begun to ache though, her heels lifting her from her short 5'3'' to a mediocre 5'6''. She smiled tentatively at him and he left the smirk on his face as he returned his eyes to Miroku. Kagome decided to chug the rest of her beer and head over to where they were standing.

"...and that's all I got from it. You can look at it after you get out of the shower." Miroku said as he passed Kagome the journal. Inuyasha just nodded and headed towards the bathroom. Kagome took this time to eye the length of his hair. It was longer than hers! She ran her gaze up to the top of his head where she caught sight of what looked to be little triangular dog ears.

"Gods they're so cute." she whispered without thinking, eying them.

Inuyasha suddenly turned around and walked back into the kitchen, grabbing a beer and chugging it in one shot. He reached in and grabbed another one, tossing it straight to Kagome.

"You look like you could use another one." he winked at her as she yet again openly stared at his bare chest. A drop of sweat ran down the crevices of his abs and she absentmindedly licked her lips. He chuckled a bit before walking off into the bathroom and closing the door.

Miroku turned to her with a shocked expression and looked at her face. She looked to be deep in thought, however her face was so red it had a purple hue to it. He bent over and started laughing, startling Kagome out of her thoughts. She glared at him and quickly yelled "SHUT UP!" before stomping over to the island counter and cracking open the third beer. She took a sip to try and calm herself down.

Never had she had such a reaction to a man before. She's seen plenty of good looking men. She was in college, after all. It was like the conglomerate of men there. Inuyasha was a different story. He was more an adonis than an actual man.

She was sure his half demon blood had something to do with it. Although no demons she has seen so far had looked nearly as good as he did. She was getting flustered and turning into a fifteen year old school girl over someone she just met.

This was ridiculous. She calmed herself and walked back over to Miroku, slapping him upside the head to stop him from laughing. He stood up, tears in his eyes. "Well we all knew Yash was good looking, but the way you just reacted, you would think you'd just found the fountain of youth or something." he laughed again, receiving a punch in the arm.

"Oh, shut up Miroku. I just didn't expect to see someone that good looking. Usually people really into history aren't the best looking people, okay? A girl is allowed to get flustered every once in a while. Especially when there is a half naked half demon in her line of vision." Kagome said, sipping more of her beer. At this rate she'd be drunk before Inuyasha even got out of the shower.

"So you think he is hot?" he pushed, walking to the fridge to grab another beer for himself. Good thing Inuyasha liked beer, or there was no way there would be enough for all three of them. "He is attractive, I'll give him that. His ears were adorable. And his body was...just wow. Unff." she ended the sentence with a sound effect, exhaling.

Miroku started laughing again, but stopped when he felt Kagome's glare on him. "I normally don't act like this Miroku, so please don't make a big deal out of it." she huffed.

"I'm not laughing because of that. You know those ears you mentioned? ...You know they're very sensitive?" he asked, obviously trying to fight a smile from forming on his face. "What's the point here, Houshi." she sounded agitated, crossing her arms.

"The point is that he can hear everything we're saying right now. Even over the roaring sound of the water."

"...What." her face turned red again, out of embarrassment and anger. She uncrossed her arms and placed her hands palm down on the counter, pushing her chair out from behind her and standing up, trying to seem more intimidating. "You asked me those questions on PURPOSE!" she exploded, running around the counter, having every intention of choking him.

He dodged her flinging hands and ran towards the couch in the living room. She chased after him, red clouding her vision. _' I cannot BELIEVE him. I'll kill him. I'll kill him. I'll kill him, and then I'll bring him back so Sango can kill him. Now I have to sit here and look into Inuyasha's eyes, knowing he knows what I think about him? God. Fuck.' _she mentally told herself it would be okay to commit murder just this one time.

She wrapped her hands around Miroku's neck, putting little pressure on him. She didn't want to actually hurt him, just scare him a bit. Over the yelling neither of them heard the bathroom door open, didn't hear the footsteps heading towards them, and didn't hear the clearing of a throat.

* * *

Alas, the sexy hanyou known all too well as Inuyasha has been revealed. And now, the plot takes off.

_Feedback is love._

_-_Caitlin


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I expected a larger reaction to the story so far, but alas. Maybe once I get a few more chapters out people will start understanding whats going on. Here is a bit larger summary that I probably should have added on the first chapter:

Kagome's grandfather died, leaving her with the will and the journal. He has been trying to complete the task of the bamboo cutter, but never succeeded. He now leaves the task to Kagome, who must complete it before she gets her inheritance. You'll learn about the tale of the bamboo cutter in this chapter.

On with the story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the story itself.

* * *

Cutting Through the Bamboo

The two rolling around on the floor in a wrestling match didn't notice the hanyou standing in the doorway to the living room for at least five minutes. InuYasha repeatedly cleared his throat to get their attention, but it was lost among the squeals and grunts.

"Pervert!" followed by a quick slap sound signaled the end of the scuffle, and the pair broke apart. Kagome seethed in her corner while Miroku nursed his reddened cheek in the other. InuYasha boredly cocked an eyebrow and shook his head, seemingly not surprised at his friends actions.

"Sorry, Miss Kagome. I couldn't help myself. When a rear end is thrown in reach of my hand I just have to reach and touch it."

"You're still a pervert, Miroku."

"Fair enough." Miroku glanced up at InuYasha, just noticing his tall form looming in the doorway. He stood up and dusted himself off, walking over to Kagome to help her up as well. She scoffed at his hand and got up herself, backing up from him. She looked towards the doorway and finally noticed the man-no, hanyou there.

She smiled, embarrassed as a blush spread across her face. She sat down on the couch and placed her hands in her lap, fidgeting nervously. She was just caught wrestling with Miroku on a strange man's living room floor.

Miroku grabbed the journal from the counter and sat down next to her, keeping his distance from the still angered Kagome. InuYasha took the seat opposite them in the arm chair, cradling his freshly opened beer.

"So, InuYasha. I've told you what we have already figured out. Kagome's grandfather was on the quest to find the five items requested from Kaguya-hime in the Bamboo Cutter's tale. However, what we can't figure out is what they were, and who this demon named Naraku? Where can we find these items? What do we do with them when we have them? What if-"

"Shut up, Miroku. One thing at a damned time." InuYasha said gruffly, a thoughtful look on his ruggedly handsome face. Kagome couldn't keep her eyes off of him. She had never before seen someone so handsome and, well, manly. He glanced at her and she averted her eyes towards Miroku, a blush creeping back up her face.

"Let me see the journal." Miroku handed the journal over to InuYasha, who placed his beer down on the table in between the three and opened the diary. He seemed to skim through the first few pages before closing it, a thoughtful look placed back on his face.

The two waited in silence for the hanyou to say something. He opened his mouth but shut it again, grabbing his beer and taking another sip.

"To answer your questions, Miroku. We would have to do some research on what all five items were, but I can tell you two of them off the bat from my experience. One of the items is the jewel from the neck of the sea dragon. It was removed from his neck about two hundred years ago, and is probably floating somewhere around Japan. The second one that I know of is the branch of the jeweled trees, which is rumored to be on the floating mountain of Horai." InuYasha finished, gulping more of his beer.

"And you don't have a clue as to what the other three are?"

"Keh, if I knew I would have said it." he barked out towards Kagome, earning an angered flush to paint her face.

"No need to be so rude, you jackass!"

"Do you want my help or not!" he stood up, his height hovering over her sitting form. She stood up too, though not even close to his height still.

"You don't have to be so nasty about helping me!"

"Shut up! I'll do what I want!"

"Gah! Miroku let's go, I don't WANT his help!" Kagome ripped the journal from the hanyou's hands, turning towards the door.

"Miss Kagome, please. I told you InuYasha has a bit of a macho man complex going on. This is just who he is, please don't take it personally. We need his help and you know it."

Kagome turned towards her friend and then glanced back up at the silver haired adonis, with her brows furrowed and hand on her hip. She sighed in a defeated manner and sat back down, tossing the journal back to InuYasha.

The trio took their places and continued on with the conversation. InuYasha tried to figure out where he had left off as he finished off his beer.

"Now, many have tried to find these items, to receive what it is they would get when the five items are placed at the place of spirituality on the full moon. The items could be anywhere by now. If the seeker does not find all five items, then the items disappear and return to where they once were. You only have one chance to find them, though. Once you have them and lose them, the items will never reappear for you."

"And you only know where the branch is, right?" Miroku asked, folding his leg across his other in a manly way and folding his arms behind his head.

"Why are these items so important anyway?" Kagome chimed in, seeming to relax a bit against the cream colored leather couch.

"The tale of the bamboo cutter states that a man was cutting through bamboo and found a little baby girl no larger than the size of my thumb. He raised her and she turned out to be very beautiful. All men wanted to marry her, but she turned them all down. She gave each one of them a quest to find one of the items, and if they did, they could marry her. Today, if you were to find all five of the items, you would receive the celestial robe."

"What's that?"

"The robe can be used for good or for evil. I don't know much about it, all I know is that if it fell into the wrong hands, Japan or even the world could be in serious trouble. I'm guessing that was why your grandfather was worried about Naraku. Naraku is a very mean, cruel demon who believes humans should be eliminated from the earth. He works as a competing company of mine and my brother's company, though. I can only figure that he would use the robe to eliminate them. I guess he couldn't get the items either, because he hasn't done anything bad lately. Knowing that bastard, he's just waiting until he is no longer under a watchful eye before striking again." InuYasha scowled, crossing his arms.

"So that is all you know?" Miroku sat up and folded his hands in his lap, glancing at Kagome. She had a surprised look on her face.

"A demon who wants to eliminate humans? But...we've never done anything wrong to them!"

"Keh, stupid wench. Back when I was a pup humans used to destroy demons at any chance they could get. Although my two hundred years alive, I have seen a difference and most can act civil, there are still some out there who wish demons didn't exist. Which makes demons pretty pissed off."

"Oh, my. That's horrible. No one should be killed because they're a demon!" Kagome gasped, pity evident in her eyes towards the hanyou.

"It will always happen, there is no point in dwelling on it, Miss Kagome."

The three sat in silence for a minute, each having their own reason for keeping to their own thoughts. How long had InuYasha said he'd been alive for? Two hundred years? Yeesh, thats old. She was a measly twenty one. Although he didn't look a day over twenty four, still. Weird.

She stole glances at him, eying his dog ears. Her hand twitched at the temptation to just grab them and rub, hoping they were as soft as they looked. He looked over at her, anger evident in his features.

"Didn't your mother tell you it wasn't polite to stare?"

Kagome "eeped" and forced her eyes to look at her lap, another blush creeping onto her face. There didn't seem much for anyone to say, so they sat in silence for a while longer. Kagome kept feeling InuYasha look at her, but she had pretended not to notice.

Now he was just blatantly staring at her. She could feel his golden orbs burning holes into the top of her head.

"Didn't your mother tell you it wasn't polite to stare?" she threw back at him, looking directly in his eyes. He looked away with a "keh" and got up to throw his empty beer bottle out. Kagome blushed for what may have been the twentieth time since she had met InuYasha.

Miroku watched the two from the side, a cocked eyebrow hidden beneath his neat bangs. _'InuYasha is acting weird around Kagome. And I'm pretty sure Kagome's face will be stained that color for a week.' _he chuckled to himself as he stood up, stretching. Hearing a few satisfying pops and cracks, he walked towards the door.

"Kagome, are you coming? Or would you rather stay here with InuYasha.." he trailed off, winking suggestively. Kagome scrambled up after him with the journal in her hand. She turned towards InuYasha to thank him, but he was no where to be found.

"Yash, we're heading out. Thanks again!" Miroku called to somewhere in the apartment, then opened the front door.

"Thank you, InuYasha. This means so much to me." Kagome yelled, waiting for an answer. She never received a reply, so out the door they went.

* * *

"You should have seen her reaction, Sango. It was priceless." Miroku chuckled as they walked to class together.

"We all knew InuYasha was good looking, but innocent little Kagome having that much of a reaction? I wonder if she knew Yash could tell how he effected her."

"I don't think she did. She does know that he has sharp hearing, though. He didn't seem too annoyed by her presence either, ya know." he got a knowing look on his face, smirking at Sango as realization dawned on her.

"No, Miroku. You cannot set them up, are you crazy! Yash would kill you. Kagome would kill you!"

"Oh please. Kagome wouldn't mind a date! I could tell she thought he was sooo dreamy."

"Kagome already has a date! She doesn't need to be skipping from guy to guy." Sango huffed, standing outside the door of her classroom.

"Kagome said she didn't want to date. Who is she going out with?"

"Hojo. Poor guy wouldn't stop pestering her. I guess she felt guilty."

"Poor Kagome is more like it." Miroku said, walking away after waving goodbye to Sango. Sango turned, walked into her class, and took her seat.

* * *

"So you don't even know where to really begin?" Hojo asked her, leaning across the small table to grab hold of her hand. She smiled sheepishly at him and pulled her hand away, then brushed her bangs out of her face.

How had she gotten roped into going on a date with Hojo? She told him before she had too much going on in her life to have anything close to a boyfriend, yet, here she was, sitting across from him in a fancy restaurant, listening to him babble about herbs that are good for you and asking about her task.

"Not really. I need to read more of my grandfathers journal and do some more research first. I was going to see if there were any museums around school that I could go to and check to see if they had anything about the bamboo cutter's tale and where I might find the items, or even what I'm supposed to do with them when I get them." she took a bite of her dessert, chewing thoughtfully.

"There is a museum that I frequent each week. It is only a few blocks away, and they don't close for another hour, if you'd like to go now?" he asked politely, taking money out of his wallet to lay down on the table for their waitress. Kagome nodded eagerly and stood up, her dessert long forgotten.

The walk to the museum really was short, and they stepped inside, the heat blaring. Kagome took a quick look around, looking for a curator or someone who knew what kind of things were in the museum so she wouldn't waste her hour looking.

"Homo, what are you doing here?" a semi-familiar voice rang out, the figure walking towards them. Hojo grabbed Kagome's hand and smiled, seemingly not affected by the figures mistake. Kagome looked toward the man walking towards her and gasped.

"InuYasha?" she more asked herself then the hanyou, trying to slip her hand out of Hojo's grip. Why, she didn't quite know.

"Keh. Figures you'd be dating a weak pansy like Hobo. What do you want? I'm trying to close it up early tonight." InuYasha said, glaring at the "couple."

"InuYasha, we were wondering if you could help us with a task of Higurashi's. You see-"

"I already know about it. I helped her all I could, there is nothing more I can do. Now leave." InuYasha started to walk away.

"Kagome, allow me to apologize for InuYasha's harsh behavior. He is not a friendly person and really only cares about himself." Hojo stated as he turned to the door, dragging Kagome behind him. She finally got her hand out of his grip, and stopped herself.

"Hojo, I'll just be a minute. I'd like to speak to InuYasha before I leave." she smiled, coaxing him into leaving her alone for a short period of time.

"Sure, Kagome. I'll just be over here." he pointed towards the herbal healing section.

Kagome nodded as she walked towards where she had last seen InuYasha. She spotted him cleaning the glass on one of the exhibits. Marching towards him, she harshly tapped on his shoulder. He sighed, already knowing that she was coming to talk, and placed his spray bottle and rag down on the ground.

"What." boredom laced his tone as he turned around to face her.

"First! Me and Hojo are NOT dating. It was one friendly...hang out. Second! No need to be rude, AGAIN! I did nothing wrong to you and you have no reason to be rude to either me or my friend. Third! I'm sorry for yelling at you but you just really pissed me off! And, fourth..." she trailed off, her anger seeping out of her as she really got a good look into his amber orbs.

"Keh, fourth what, wench?"

"Will you maybe help me? I put two and two together, and you must own this museum. If you can help me, since you seem to know the most about it, I'll let you put the celestial robe in your museum on display." she tried bargaining with him, her eyes pleading.

He cocked his eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest in his usual stance. His dress pants fit him snug, while his red button up shirt stretched taught against his rippling muscles. Her pleading eyes roamed over his body while she waited for his answer.

"Pass." he walked away, leaving an angered human behind. "What do you mean pass! Don't you want the robe in the museum!" she chased after him, following him through the door that lead to the office of the museum.

"I wouldn't mind having it, but I'm not trekking across the country with some annoying girl, probably risking my life in the process for it. I'd rather live then have to travel with you and go get it." he sat down at the chair behind the desk, flipping through some papers.

"Please, InuYasha? I promise I won't be any trouble. We can even have Miroku come! Maybe Sango too! Wouldn't that be fun?" she tried appealing to his human side, going on an adventure with his "friends."

"I said no. Leave. I have work to do before I close up." he made a shooing motion with his hand, signaling the end of the conversation. She huffed and stomped her foot on the ground, placing her fists on her hips.

"I'm not leaving until you say yes! You're the only one that can help me! Please! Please please please please please please please ple- oof!" she was hoisted over his shoulder, her face dangerously close to his-very nice looking- rear end. He walked towards the front of the museum, his tight grip around her thighs preventing her from falling off his shoulder.

He slumped her down onto her feet, and pointed towards Hojo. "Both of you, out." he turned, walking back towards the office. Kagome sighed dejectedly, walking passed Hojo and out the door.

"I told you he is rude. Are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?" Hojo rambled on, eyes scanning her body over for gashes from his claws or anything alike. "No no, I'm fine. Let's go home." Kagome's eyes lingered on the door to the office, sighing slightly. Now what was she supposed to do?

* * *

Kagome flopped back down onto the couch, cracking open her beer. She seemed to be drinking quite a lot of beer lately. It seemed to be one of the only things that kept her nerves at bay. Her hair was left down, her wavy locks messily framing her face. No one else was in the suite, it being Saturday night, so she donned a red tank top and a pair of white short shorts.

She picked up the remote, clicking through the channels to find something to watch. She sighed as she found a movie, and tossed the remote onto the table in front of her. She laid down, her beer resting on her tight stomach.

Why wasn't she out on a Saturday night in college, you ask? Simple: Hojo had invited her and she was pretending to be sick. He was a nice guy and everything, but a little bit too nice. She wanted someone with an edge. Someone who could whisk her away and make her insides melt and rough her up in the bedroom, preferably with muscles gliding along hers and-

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Kagome was torn out of her daydream as she hopped up off the couch, beer still in hand. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

"Hold on a damn second!" she ran towards the door now and flung it open, agitation laced in her features. Her shock hid the agitation pretty well, however. InuYasha stood there, arms crossed as usual. Kagome's mouth flopped like a fish out of water as her brain tried to process why InuYasha of all people was standing at her door, on a Saturday night. Didn't he have a life?

Well then again, if she had one she wouldn't be here to answer the door.

"Can I come in?" he asked, rather politely. She stood shocked for another second before stepping to the side, letting him pass her. He walked into the living room and planted himself down on the usually three seat couch. With his large frame, it only made it a two seat couch. She closed the door and walked to the couch, sitting beside him. Their legs were touching but she tried not to think about that.

She looked up at his face and noticed he was blushing. She cocked her eyebrow. "Why are you here?" she asked, sipping at her sixth beer of the night. One or two more of those and she'd be pretty damned drunk.

"I was gonna talk to you, but I figured you'd also have some damn clothes on." he all but barked, glancing down at her slender, tanned legs. She followed his gaze and realized he was talking about the fact that she was practically half naked. Normally, she would hop up, embarrassed, and run into her room to change.

The beer, however, didn't give a fuck.

She shrugged and leaned back, motioning her hand for him to continue. He looked confused as he tried to keep his eyes from scanning over her body.

"I'll help you on your stupid quest thing." he watched as her eyes lit up from happiness. He held up a finger, silencing her before she spoke. "On one condition. When this is all over, we pretend like we never knew one another so I can get on with my damn life again." he finished, sitting back waiting for her answer.

She looked thoughtful, pondering his condition. "Deal." she stuck out her hand for him to shake it, and he complied. The two sat in silence for a few minutes before the door slammed open, and in stumbled a visibly drunk Sango and Miroku.

"Oh-hiccup- 'gome! Yasha! What are-what are- what are you doing here?" Sango giggled out as she latched her arm onto Miroku's. He smiled devilishly, noticing Kagome's attire and InuYasha's flushed face. Their close proximity didn't help the wandering of Miroku's imagination.

"Keh. I came to tell the stupid wench that I'll help her with her task." he said, standing up. Kagome stood up as well.

"Yeah, her task." Miroku said to no one in particular, leading Sango towards her bedroom. "Kagome, I didn't know you wanted help in that department. I could have lent you a hand...or two." Miroku winked before receiving a half playful smack from Sango. The two disappeared into the bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind them.

"Well, I guess I'm sleeping on the couch tonight." Kagome sighed, chugging her beer. She was going to need a few more if she was going to sleep on the lumpy couch. InuYasha stared at her as she walked to the kitchen to grab another beer.

"You want one?" she yelled, her head sticking into the refrigerator. Her butt was perked up, waggling this way and that way. He groaned, shaking his head of whatever nasty thoughts it just produced. '_She's just a human wench. No need to get your pants to pitch a tent here.' _he thought to himself as he responded to her with a "Yeah."

She came back with two beers, tossing one to him. They sat back down on the couch, focusing their brown and golden eyes on the movie playing on the television. Every once in a while, InuYasha's ears would swivel in the direction of Kagome's room, then back towards the t.v.

"Hey, Kagome?" he asked, finishing what felt to be his ninth beer.

"Mmm?" she sleepily replied, eyes already closed.

"You may want to wash your sheets tomorrow." he said, hiding his smirk behind his bottle. She nodded sleepily and slumped down onto his shoulder, sleep taking her.

He looked down, uncomfortable. He doesn't even know this girl and here she is, half naked, using his shoulder as a pillow? Kagome's eyes snapped open as realization of what InuYasha just said hit her. "sheets...clean...sheets...WHAT!"

InuYasha laughed and laid down on the couch, watching as the girl in the short shorts stormed over to her bedroom door.

"YOU GUYS GET OFF MY BED YOU DISGUSTING LUNATICS. I'LL CASTRATE YOU MIROKU AND THEN I'LL...I'LL...SANGO I'LL LET MIROKU READ YOUR DIARY!" she screamed, red in the face. The night ended with muffled moans, a fuming Kagome and a sleeping InuYasha.

* * *

A/N: That chapter was harder to write then I would have originally imagined. Hope you all enjoyed.

_Feedback is love._

-Caitlin


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I was stuck at my boyfriend's house and, alas, cannot write while I'm there. Sorry. Won't hold you up any longer, although I doubt any of you will actually read these anyway.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my brain. Which seems to flee from me at times.

* * *

Cutting Through the Bamboo

Kagome tried to pay attention to Sango's **detailed **events from last night, but she couldn't quite focus on what her friend was saying. They had trudged from store to store, idly trying on clothes and hats alike, but not really purchasing anything.

Her feet were hurting and all she wanted to do was to sit down. Her thoughts from this morning seemed to be a distraction from the pain she was feeling.

_Kagome was having a hard time staying asleep when her body pillow kept moving. Rhythmically, up and down, slowly. She sighed into it and rolled over, nuzzling her face in a dent of the warm pillow. She huffed in her half sleep state, moving her head again to try and find the cold side of her pillow._

"_Oi, wench. Stop moving. I'm trying to sleep here." Since when could her pillow talk? And since when did it sound eerily similar to Inuyasha? She shot up, sleep was the last thing on her mind. She looked at the position she was in and blushed. Her legs were on either side of his hips, her hands planted palms down on his chest. His eyes peered up at her lazily, one arm tucked behind his head and other rested on her leg._

_She let out an "eep" and hopped off of him, scrambling to her feet. She must have been more tired than she thought, falling asleep on top of another human being. It may have been the beer, too. Inuyasha must have drank his fair share to let a random girl sleep on him, as well._

_'Although he probably sleeps with random girls all the time,' she thought to herself as she fisted her hands in her tank top. He propped himself up on his elbows, his eyes still clouded with sleep. He let out a jaw cracking yawn and sat up, running a hand over his face._

"_I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...to um...yeah." she stumbled, quietly cursing herself for her bashful personality trait. He just sent her a smirk and stood up, cracking his back._

"_No problem. I wouldn't wanna sleep in there with them either," he chuckled lightly before heading towards where his shoes were. She stood awkwardly in the living room, unsure of what to do. Should she invite him to breakfast?_

_No, that was silly. He had his own life to get back to. He was already helping her with this task she had to do, asking him to take more time out of his life was rude. Still...the thought was tempting._

"_Would you like to go get breakfast?" She couldn't stop herself. He peered over at her from his sneakers and finished tying them before answering. "Can't. Gotta get down to the museum before my employees get their panties in a bunch." One fang popped from his lip as the grin spread across his face._

_She nodded once and folded her arms across her chest. He cocked his eyebrow at her somewhat disappointed look, but didn't question it. "We can grab dinner tonight and discuss where the hell we're gonna start with this thing," he suggested, turning to open the door._

_She walked behind him, ready to close the door behind him after he left. "That'd be nice. I'm going into town with Sango today, so I should be back by seven," she smiled and shifted her weight to one leg. She was anxious for a shower now. She could only imagine how horrid she looked. Of course he just looked perfect._

"_I'm off at eight. Meet me at the restaurant a few blocks from the museum?" he questioned as he walked out of the doorway and stood facing her, now in the hallway. His ears twitched in different directions as he subconsciously listened to the sounds in the hallway._

"_Sure. I'll be there by eight fifteen," she nodded as he turned away. She went to close the door but a hand on the other side stopped her. "Inuyasha?" she asked, waiting for him to tell her what else he needed._

"_Yeah uh...just wanted to say...well.." he couldn't spit it out. The blush rising on his cheeks confused her. He didn't seem like the type to blush. His eyes met her amused ones, and at once his demeanor changed._

"_Just wanted to say this isn't a date or anything, got it?" he asked gruffly, looking away. She probably would have stumbled back, had she not been holding onto the door knob. The surprised look on her face was the answer Inuyasha took, and stalked off down the hallway, hair swaying behind him._

"_Well...okay then." she huffed and cautiously walked to her bedroom door, knocking. "Sango I need clothes, wake up!" she yelled, jiggling the door handle. It opened and Sango appeared, bright eyed and chipper. Who wouldn't be after having sex all night?_

_'Shouldn't she be tired?' her face deadpanned at her thought._

"_Sorry you had to sleep out there, Kagome. Hope Inuyasha wasn't too much trouble," she heard the amusement in Miroku's voice from behind the door. She glared at him as if he could see and grabbed what she needed. Marching towards the bathroom, she heard giggling and the door close again._

"_We're leaving in twenty minutes, Sango! I mean that!" More giggling was her answer._

"So, how'd it go with you and Inuyasha? Do anything naughty?" Sango outright said as they sipped at their coffees outside the coffee shop. It was frigid outside, but the warm coffee helped keep them content. Kagome blushed and shot Sango a 'don't even think about it' look, but the other girl didn't take the hint.

Kagome toyed with her brown cup holder as she felt Sango's eyes pierce the top of her head in waiting. She sighed, defeated, and explained to her what happened.

"You mean a date?" Sango asked hopefully, clasping her hands together in excitement. Kagome shook her head and gave her a look. "No, I told you. He said it wasn't a date. WASN'T. God Sango, lets go buy some cotton swabs to clean those ears of yours out," she huffed and took a sip of her coffee, her taste buds tingling from the heat of the drink.

"Let's go buy you something to wear." Okay, a huge pack of cotton swabs for Sango to clean her ears out. Did this girl understand anything?

Seven stores later, blistered feet, and a whiny Kagome ended the shopping trip. It was only four o'clock but it might as well have been midnight for the way Kagome complained. Sango just rolled her eyes and opened the dorm door, throwing the bags onto the floor next to their coat rack.

"Go shower," was all she said as she pointed towards the bathroom. Kagome pouted and marched over to the door, slamming it shut behind her. What wouldn't Sango get through her head? It was not a date with Inuyasha.

Just two adults, having a casual dinner. At a nice restaurant. Nothing more. Good thing Sango did everything in her power to convince Kagome it WAS a date. The knotting in her stomach and the nerves that had nested in her were proving that it was not a good idea to go tonight.

She can't be nervous for a non-date. It was Inuyasha, for kami's sake. Rude, arrogant, know it all.

Her stomach flipped. And flopped. And fluttered. And dropped.

She was dressing up to go to dinner with quite possibly one of the most gorgeous looking men she'd ever set eyes on.

And Sango had just made her more nervous than she'd been since junior high school.

Fuck.

She took her time showering, seeing as she had four hours before she even had to leave for the restaurant. She shaved, deep conditioned and even exfoliated before she was wrapped in her towel and in her room, going through the clothes Sango had forced her to buy.

Sango had barged in, grabbing the bags from Kagome's hands and rummaged through them. She pulled out a blood red dress and tossed it to her, dropping the rest of the bags on the floor. "Wear that." She walked out, closing the door behind her.

Sango was really straight forward when it came to these things.

Kagome looked at the dress as if it had just giggled. Her cocked eyebrow and look of disgust did nothing for her pretty face. She sighed as she slipped on her undergarments, then threw the dress on. It did flatter her figure, she had to admit. The sleeves rested just above her elbows, and the dress was cut in a low V shape. It hugged her tightly all the way to the bottom, ending mid thigh.

It was a little short...and low cut. She looked like a skank.

Well that was what Kagome thought, anyway. She sighed and towel dried her hair, letting her tendrils dry naturally. If she blow dried it, it would be nearly impossible to get it to look like anything other than an afro.

She applied her make-up, twice, since Sango didn't like it the first time, and pulled out the curling iron. Her light gray eyeshadow made her brown eyes pop, with the help of some black eyeliner and mascara. She had talked Sango out of lipstick, choosing plain cherry chap stick instead.

Curling her hair took forever, since it was so thick and long, but when she was done she had to admit she didn't look half bad. Her hair framed her face beautifully, and after slipping her silver pumps on, she looked down right _sexy._

Not that it mattered, anyway. It was just a casual friendly dinner...right?

Sango cat called in approval when Kagome stepped out of her room, clutch in hand. She rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch, crossing her legs so her vagina wouldn't peek out and say hello. The clock read 7:55, but she wouldn't leave until eight sharp. Showing up early looked too eager. Showing up late looked non-committal. She fidgeted with her clutch nervously as Sango ranted about how hot she looked.

Like she cared. Just a friendly dinner.

The five minutes ticked by more slowly than she would have liked, but the clock finally gave in and turned to eight. She stood up, got her bearings in her four inch heels, and grabbed her coat. She buttoned herself in and pulled her hair out of it, letting it fall down her back in curls.

"If you don't come home tonight, I'll assume the date went well." Sango shot her a wink before taking a sip of her water. Kagome just flipped her off before closing the door, checking to make sure she had her keys before exiting the building.

* * *

She had arrived at eight fifteen, just like she said she'd do. She looked around the dimly lit restaurant for a head of silver hair, but found none. She walked to the hostess and told her a table for two. The girl behind the counter popped her gum and motioned to take her coat. It slid off Kagome's shoulders just as a gust of wind came from the front door.

Inuyasha stepped in, frown plastered on his masculine face. His eyes landed on her and they widened, frown disappearing. His mouth hung open slightly before he caught himself and closed it, handing the hostess his jacket.

He wore simple black dress pants with a red button up shirt, tie loosened at his neck. His hair hung freely down his back, a bit messy from the wind. She looked at him and blushed, realizing they were matching.

"Follow me." the hostess said, walking to a booth. The pair followed in silence. Inuyasha waited for Kagome to sit down before he followed suit, taking the seat across from her. The hostess went on the rant about telling them their waitresses name, and the drink and dinner specials.

She left swiftly and that left the two of them, alone. Kagome looked down at the menu and tried concentrating on the words written there but she couldn't seem to focus on anything other than the hot god sitting across from her.

She stole a glance at him from above her menu and blushed when she saw him openly staring at her. She found what she wanted and closed it, crossing her hands on the table. The waitress padded over to them, pulling out a little notebook.

Orders were taken, drinks were served, and the awkward silence continued. She cleared her throat a few times, trying to get him to notice the awkward tension between them and start a conversation. He didn't seem to get the hint.

"So, how was work?" she asked lightly, eyes scanning over the restaurant. She had only been here with Hojo just a few days ago, and here she was with Inuyasha. She liked this date much better than her last.

Even though this totally wasn't a date.

He shrugged, grin spreading across his face. "It was work. Why don't we talk about something other then boring conversation fillers? You don't care about my day as much as I don't care about yours." the waitress stepped in with their food before she could throw out a rebuttal.

They dug in, hunger more important than a conversation at that point. Only after Kagome started feeling full did she put her fork down momentarily and look up at him. He seemed to sense her eyes on him, so he looked up, noodles hanging from his mouth.

"Whaf do yu wan?"

Oh, how romantic.

"So about this thing I have to do..." she trailed off, starting the conversation that brought them both there in the first place. She heard him slurp up his noodles and push the bowl aside, satisfied with what he had eaten.

"I don't even know where to start. I don't know where anything is, where we have to bring them, or what to do with them." she admitted, taking a sip of her red wine. Red wine and steak was a really perfect combination. The wine helped to calm her frazzled nerves, too.

"From what I know, we need to start the ritual before we actually bring any of the pieces to the sacred place. If we don't do that, it won't matter if we have all five items, we won't get the robe. I just don't know where to do it." he offered, handing the waitress the empty bowl of soup as Kagome handed the girl her half eaten plate of food.

"So now what?"

"I have to read more of the journal, stupid." She fumed. What right did he have calling her names? Sure, she was asking for a lot, but he didn't _have _to say yes. He was doing this out of the goodness of his heart.

Whatever heart he did actually have.

She rolled her eyes and pouted, finger twirling around a curl that had landed over her shoulder. The end of the tendril danced along the table top as she fiddled with it, her mind soaring in any direction other than the hanyou across from her.

The check was laid down on the table as a mumbled "have a nice night" passed over them from the crappy waitress. Inuyasha reached for the check and took out a few bills, throwing them on the table. She went to go grab her clutch as he did this but he waved his hand at her, signaling he would pay. She smiled appreciatively at him and stood up, following him towards the door. He helped her into her jacket and proceeded to slide his on, then opened the door for her.

They stood awkwardly outside, neither one looking at the other. "Well, I'd better get going. Buses don't run much later on Sunday nights." she made her way towards the bus stop down the road but was stopped when a hand gripped her forearm gently.

"You took the bus here dressed like that? Are you crazy?" he all but yelled at her, receiving a glare.

"What do you mean dressed like that! I think I look pretty nice!" she huffed, retching her arm out of his grasp. He looked confused at her outburst. He had just pretty much complimented her and she gets offended?

"I mean that you look beautiful, and at this time of night the creeps are out roaming for their unsuspecting victims. I'll drive you home." He started walking towards the museum, where she assumed his car was parked.

Had he just called her beautiful? And he did pay for her dinner. But this still wasn't a date.

"Thanks for driving me. Are you sure it isn't any trouble?" she climbed into the passenger seat as he shut his black door behind her, walking over to the driver seat and getting in.

"Couldn't have your death on my hands. Don't over analyze it." The ignition flared to life and she buckled her seat belt. The black car peeled out of the parking lot and sped down the road, heading towards her school. The heat was becoming warmer, although she hadn't needed any heat.

The blush taking over her entire body was enough to warm her in a blizzard.

The drive seemed quite shorter than she would have hoped as they pulled in front of the building to her dorm. The road led along all the dorms, turning into the parking lot on the other end. She unbuckled herself and grabbed her clutch, hesitating as she reached for the door. He turned towards her, one arm on the wheel, other on the gear shifter.

He would drive a stick shift.

"So do I need to walk you up, or can you manage to not get killed in the five minutes it takes to get to your door?" he asked, smirk slowly spreading across his face. The playful glint in his eyes made Kagome feel at ease a bit, and without thinking she sent a wink at him.

"Who knows, I may need a big strong man to escort me," she giggled as he cocked his eyebrow and went to unbuckle his own seat belt. She put her hand on top of his to stop him from doing so. "I said a big strong man, not a mediocre one." He narrowed his eyes at her and scoffed.

She giggled again and opened the car door, but turned to face him again. "Thank you for paying for dinner. And for the ride. I had a nice time tonight." She blushed a little, putting her head down. Her hair cascaded around her face, appearing like a black curtain. He looked back at her, the playful glint in his golden eyes once again.

"I told you this ain't a date, wench. Now get out, the cold is getting in." He smiled at her. A genuine, heart melting smile. The smoldering golden of his eyes coupled with the toothy grin he sent her way made heat pool in her belly as she shuffled out of his car. She said a meek "asshole" and closed the door before walking to the doors of her building.

She turned back to wave to him but was surprised to see him standing directly behind her. She hadn't even heard his car door close, nor heard him approach.

Maybe he was right. If she had taken the bus she probably would have been murdered.

"You forgot these." he held his hand out with a pair of keys resting on the palm. She "oohed" and took them, muttering a thanks. She looked up into his eyes and waited to see if anything would happen.

It didn't.

"Well, night Kagome." He turned to leave and thought he sensed her disappointment. He turned around, and saw her standing there, fumbling with her keys. It was like she was waiting for something. Shrugging, he threw in as an after thought, "You really do look beautiful, if it means anything coming from me."

Kagome spun around, but he was already in his car, revving his engine. She blushed and opened the glass doors to the building, stepping into the warmth. She didn't even remember entering her dorm, her bedroom, getting dressed in pajamas, or laying down in bed. It wasn't until her eyes drooped closed that she realized she was in bed and not still standing outside, hearing Inuyasha repeat the words he had last spoken to her.

"He thinks I'm beautiful?" she asked herself, a goofy smile spreading across her face. She started to drift off, dreaming of silver hair and dog ears. If she were fully asleep, she would have missed the comment that came from her-who she thought was- sleeping roommate.

"Told you that dress would work." the pillow muffled Sango's words, but nothing in the world could hide the smugness that edged her voice. Kagome rolled over and chucked a stuffed animal at Sango's head.

So NOW the girl has good hearing.

* * *

Shorter chapter, but I really wanted to make the date the main point.

Fluff, fluff everywhere. Except not really. Buuuuut it's a start! Reviews are highly appreciated. I like to know what my readers are thinking, people! Sorry for the long wait. Meep.

_Feedback is love._

_-_Caitlin


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm already losing motivation for this story. Blah. Sorry for the wait.

* * *

Cutting Through the Bamboo

The television played in the background aimlessly, but Kagome couldn't keep her attention focused on it. Kagura was plopped next to her on the sofa, laptop resting on her lap. Apparently Sesshomaru was coming over today so she was researching something that she wanted to talk to him about. Something about how spending more time with your loved one can add years to your life.

What a load of bullshit.

Kagome just wanted to get this thing over with already. She wanted to do the ritual, find the items, and get the stupid robe. Sure, she'd be spending more time with Inuyasha, but she would rather do it in a casual setting.

Like her bedroom.

Now that they had a bit more information to go off of, he said they could start this weekend. Too bad it was only Wednesday. He had stopped over last night to read more of her grandfather's journal. They figured out where they had to start the ritual. It was in a forest clearing in Tokyo. There was even some spiritual rock setting that they would have to perform it on.

What the hell were they supposed to do as the ritual, you ask?

Inuyasha had mentioned something about cleaning the rocks, praying to Buddha and making sure the area stayed protected. That could have taken twenty minutes if she had done it, but Inuyasha insisted on taking their time to make sure they did it right.

What did he know anyway?

He was acting rather distant since their non-date Sunday night. She had asked if he would have liked to come over for dinner, he declined. Movies? Declined. Walk in the park? Declined. The only time she had seen him since was when he stopped over last night to go through more of the diary.

Even then it was non-committal grunts and stiff nods of the head. He had hardly made any eye contact with her. He explained the bare minimum and took his leave as soon as they were finished discussing the ritual. Not even a hug goodbye.

What was she expecting, though? Him to fall madly in love with her after one casual dinner experience? That he would want to spend all of his free time with her? She was just some stupid college girl who needed his help. It was about time she understood that.

No more getting her hopes up.

Kagome's thoughts were interrupted when her phone began vibrating on the coffee table. She typed in the unlock code and looked down at the text message. She blinked her eyes a few times to make sure they weren't playing tricks on her.

_**Can I come over?**_

She blinked again at the message before responding. So Inuyasha was coming over. For what reason? His text didn't leave much room for another over analyzed situation, so she just sat back and waited. She rested her damp head against the pillow and curled up, intent on watching TV until he came and interrupted her.

A knock at the door and Kagura was up, letting Inuyasha in. Kagome peered up at him and sat up. Wait, that wasn't Inuyasha. "Kagome. This is Sesshomaru," she smiled and grabbed his hand, then proceeded to tug him into the dorm room. Kagome stood up and offered her hand to him to shake. His eyes peered down at her hand and looked back into her eyes, ignoring her handshake.

She slipped her hand back to her side and blushed a bit. He was extremely handsome, albeit a bit girlish looking. Here she was with damp hair, no make up on, pajama pants with puppies on them and a tanktop with no bra underneath. He was dressed in a crisp black business suit with his hair pulled back, looking every bit the part of powerful.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Takahashi," she meekly stated, her nerves getting the better of her. What was it with this family and making her feel like a sixteen year old again? He just continued to look at her with those hard, piercing eyes. Kagura stood idly by, as if this were a normal thing for him. Her smile made Kagome think she had liked Sesshomaru's reaction to her.

She could only imagine how he treated someone he hadn't liked.

Another knock behind them brought the tension to a stop as Kagome excused herself to go answer the door. Inuyasha looked up at her when the door opened, no emotion on his face. '_Did I miss the memo about today being cold-hearted asshole day?' _He stepped around her and she closed the door. Inuyasha was growling.

Sesshomaru turned back to face Inuyasha, his lip pulled back in distaste. Kagura looked panicked so Kagome felt the need to feel the same way. She stepped up to Inuyasha's side and laid a calming hand on his forearm. It didn't work.

He shrugged her off as he continued to growl at his brother.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he bit out, venom dripping from the words. Sesshomaru stood emotionless as he glanced at Kagura as his answer. Inuyasha relaxed a bit but didn't discontinue his growling. Kagome's nerves were beginning to get the best of her. She didn't need two demons ripping the dorm apart.

Just when she thought the silence would kill her, the door swung open revealing Sango, Miroku and Koga. Koga rushed to her side before she even had the chance to blink, and the next thing she knew she was hidden behind him.

"Muttface. Why don't you and your weakling of a brother take this somewhere else? You're scaring Kagome." Inuyasha sent a glare at Sesshomaru before turning towards the wolf demon and human girl behind him.

"Get off her, wolf. She ain't got anything to be afraid of." He made a motion to go grab Kagome but Koga cut him off. Inuyasha's growling continued again, now pinpointed at Koga instead of his half-brother. Kagome sighed from behind the wolf demon and stepped out to the side of him.

"Koga, I'm not scared. You don't need to protect me, alright? Inuyasha and I have something to talk about so we'll be in my room," she calmly stated as to not agitate the room full of demons. Koga sent a little huff her way as he crossed his arms but made no move to stop her.

She walked towards her room and let Inuyasha follow her. She really wanted to know why he decided to just drop by.

Before she even closed the door Inuyasha was plopped down on her bed, face first in her pillows. She saw him inhaling deeply as if he were smelling them. She tentatively sat on the bed next to him, unsure of what to do or say. Clearly he was in a bad mood and his half-brother and Koga had just made it worse.

After what seemed like ages he finally rolled over, eyes closed. She sat with her hands in her lap, fidgeting with her fingers. He opened his one eye and peered at her. He mumbled something inaudible and she asked him to repeat himself.

"I said, come here." He grabbed her and pulled her down so she was laying with her head on his chest. Her blush painted her face a not so flattering shade of purple as he combed his claws through her drying hair. He seemed to sniff her before sighing contentedly. She laid there for a few minutes, completely still.

Why the hell was Inuyasha cuddling her?

His breathing evened out and she soon realized he fell asleep. She huffed with agitation. _'How could he just come here, growl at everyone, make me cuddle him, and then fall asleep! The nerve!' _she ranted in her head but she couldn't quite feel the anger her words had held. Laying here like this with him was just too comfortable. She slowly felt her eyes drifting closed and before she knew it she was sleeping.

* * *

By the time Friday had reached them, Kagome was sure her face was stained red. Every night since Wednesday Inuyasha had shown up in much the same manner. Stormed in, crawled into her bed, pulled her to him, and fell asleep. She was getting used to it. Hell, she even looked forward to it.

There was nothing more relaxing than falling asleep in a half-demon's arms. The mornings after she could always do without, though. He would wake up, say goodbye and act like nothing happened. No talking throughout the day, no talking at all really. He would just show up again at night and fall asleep with her.

Surely the girl's she lived with thought she had been doing less noble things, which is why her face was stained pink. Two of the girls were demons for god's sake, they could smell it if her and Inuyasha had done...**that.**

So why are they torturing her? It was bad enough they could see the feelings forming. It was bad enough Kagome had no idea what Inuyasha was up to. So why did they need to make it worse by embarrassing her every chance they got?

Hopefully when they left for their trip to start the ritual tomorrow, all would be back to normal with him. Although she wouldn't mind if he still came over every night.

Sango decided she wanted a "girl's night out" so she was dragging Kagome, Ayame and Kagura with her. Kagome wanted nothing more than to just stay inside and wait for Inuyasha, which was exactly why Sango was dragging her with them.

She shook her head as she applied her make up. She had never been one for going out that much. Although she could use a drink...or twelve.

She finished curling her hair and slipped on her glitter pumps before walking out into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Her red dress was simple yet form fitting. It had no straps, leaving room for Kagome to move her arms where ever she pleased, and the length was modest enough to not look like a whore but short enough to not look like a mother.

Sango mentioned something about some club she wanted to go to. Kagome was not a dancer.

Ever.

She had maybe an ounce more grace than a dog wearing socks.

On a good day.

She would plant her ass at the bar and drink until she couldn't remember her name. If Inuyasha showed up tonight, great. If not, she'd be too drunk to really care. It's a win win situation.

Somehow she felt that tonight was going to end horribly.

* * *

"Another one." she yelled at the bartender, waving her ten dollar bill towards him. She was getting anxious for her seventh jack and coke. What a night this turned out to be. Sango had _forgot _to mention that Miroku and his roommates would also be there.

Which means she had Hojo and Koga on either side of her at this very minute. The only good thing about this was that she hadn't had to buy any drinks since the both of them had arrived.

They seemed more interested in buying for her attention than to actually have a civil conversation with them, so she just took the high road and chose to ignore both of them equally.

What's fair is fair.

She felt a light tap on her shoulder and spun around, brown eyes meeting with a purple hue. Miroku stood there with the biggest grin he could muster. She turned back around to the bar and grabbed her drink before hopping off the bar stool to follow him to wherever he was taking her. There was a table on the side of the club where her friends were sitting.

Except the last time she checked none of her friends had silver hair. Nor did any of them have long black hair.

Or look like her.

What the fuck was going on?

She sat down next to Sango, ignoring Miroku's protests. She chugged the rest of her drink while eyeing Inuyasha with his arm around some girl. He didn't look to be exactly sober, either.

Maybe it was some chick he picked up here.

"Kagome, this is Kikyo. Kikyo, Kagome." Miroku joyously introduced, shoving her over to sit down next to her. Kagome just mumbled a less than enthusiastic "hi" whiilr the girl Kikyo just nodded with boredom. Kagome tried jumping into the conversation everyone was having, but she couldn't concentrate with Inuyasha's eyes boring into her head.

She sighed quietly and looked at him with her eyebrow quirked. He mouthed something but she wasn't exactly the best lip reader so she shrugged. He did it again and she cocked her head to the side, showing him she had no idea what he was trying to say. Suddenly, he stood up and inched his way out of the booth.

"Kagome, can I talk to you?" Oh, so that's what he was trying to say.

She shoved Miroku out before standing up, pulling her dress down to a modest length. She followed him to the outside of the club where the music wasn't blaring. He turned to face her, a tired look on his face.

"This isn't what it looks like," he started, but Kagome put her hand up before he could finish.

"Inuyasha, it's fine. You're just my friend helping me out. I should have known you'd have a girlfriend. I won't tell her you've been spending the night, so you don't have to worry. I'm just gonna go now. Tell everyone I took a cab home," she let out, turning around to walk down to the corner to catch a taxi.

"It's not like that, Kagome. Kikyo is my ex-girlfriend. We have a long history together and I ran into her early Wednesday. Nothing is going on between us."

"You have nothing to explain, Inuyasha. You aren't dating me, so you can go do whatever you want. And by the way, having your arm around her isn't "nothing." I'll see you tomorrow since I can assume you won't be sleeping with _me _tonight." She stalked off, leaving him alone outside.

She sat down on the bench, her eyes focused on the road to catch a cab. Why hadn't she brought a jacket? Oh, that's right. Because she got a ride here.

Fuck this.

She looked back over to see Inuyasha gone._ Figures. I give him permission to do what he wants and he actually listens to me. Do men not understand ANYTHING about women?_

_When I tell you to do something, you do the opposite. Sometimes._

_And this was one of those damned times._

She stood up, determined to just walk the twenty blocks back to school when she felt something wrap around her shoulders. She looked up curiously to see Inuyasha standing there, car keys dangling. He smiled at her as he lead her around the back to the parking lot.

She was silent the entire ride home. He parked in the over night parking lot and walked her to the door, waiting for her to swipe into the building. He followed her upstairs, inside, and to her room.

She used the bathroom to get changed into her pajamas and came out, seeing him on her bed as usual. She had to calm her heartbeat. She was still rather jealous after all.

Not that she had a reason to be jealous, though. Her and Inuyasha weren't anything anyway.

She climbed onto the bed, resting her head on his chest. They laid there for a few minutes before he sat up, forcing her to sit up with him. He seemed to stare at her for what felt like an eternity before he spoke.

"You were jealous." The smirk was visible on his face as he said those three words. She immediately denied it, face turning red. He just shook his head at her before running his claws through her hair like he had done the past few nights he had stayed over.

Before she knew it, her face was being pulled close to his. Her heart sped up as she watched him close his eyes. Their lips were millimeters apart and she felt his breath brush over hers. She gulped and closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy this one moment.

His lips touched hers gently, as if testing if it was okay. She pressed hers harder against his in return. He grabbed the sides of her face and tilted her head back, earning him a gasp. He slid his tongue into her mouth, grazing the tips of her teeth and coaxing hers out of her own mouth.

She pulled apart as she gasped for breath, and rested her forehead against his. His gold eyes peered down at her with unreadable emotions and she looked back up at him. The world was silent around them as they just sat there, staring into each other's eyes.

Her heart almost burst out of her chest as he leaned down to kiss her again.

* * *

A/N: HA. Sorry again for the long wait. While I have the time on my hands I'm going to try and write a few more chapters so I can post them sooner. Thank you to **thejulianetheory** for proofreading because my lazy ass wasn't going to.

_Feedback is love._

_-_Caitlin


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